Captive Hearts
by gizmo8us
Summary: Chuck and Blair are kidnapped and held for ransom. They soon learn that their captors are after more than just money, at least from one of them.
1. Chapter 1

" I just don't feel up to a party tonight." I told my best friend, Serena, for what had to be the hundredth time.

I was lying. She knew I was lying. It wasn't the party that I didn't feel up to. And she knew me well enough to know it.

" He won't have time to harass you tonight. It's his party. He'll be too busy smoozing his business associates to worry about you." Serena tried to assure me. Now she was the one lying. Because we both knew, Chuck would make the time to harass me, one way or another. " Besides," Great, she was switching tactics. I could tell by her tone. " You can't let him stop you from going out and having a good time. That would mean he wins."

I huffed, that was hitting below the belt.

" I have no intention of letting him keep me from having a good time. I just don't see how showing up at a party held in his honor will send him the right message. I'm over this, S. I don't want to see him ever again. I don't want to talk to him. I just want him out of my life."

" He will never be completely out of your life, and you know it. " She informed me sagely. " What you have to do is prove to him that you aren't there for him. Come to the party. Find a hottie and hook up, right under his nose. It'll drive him crazy."

I considered that. Knowing Chuck, she was right. It would make him nuts. But I wasn't sure I was even still interested enough to try to make him nuts. We had been through too much recently. Hurt each other too badly. My best action would be to just walk away. I needed to put the entire Chuck Bass fiasco out of my mind and remove him from my life.

The problem with that was, she was also right there, I would never be able to completely cut him out of my life. He was a part of my social structure. Everywhere I went, he was likely to be there. He had all the same friends, all the same acquaintances. Hell, he was my best friends step brother apparently. The only way to get him gone totally would be to get an entire new set of friends. And there was no way that was happening. I had spent a lifetime with those people. Worked hard to build the relationships I had with each of them. To just give them all up would not only be social suicide, it would mean he really had won, not just the battle but the entire frigging war.

So, what were my options ? If I didn't show up at his little soirée, which, incidentally, was turning out to be the elite social event of the year, he would know it was all because of him. I didn't want him to know that he was affecting me at all. I wanted him to believe that I really had moved on. Turned my back on him utterly.

I wanted him to believe that he never crossed my mind, not even for a moment.

I wasn't sure I was a good enough actress to pull that off.

Even with war brewing between a certain teacher and I, my mother's new marriage to a man that somehow was growing on me, and Yale darken the doorstep of my future, Chuck was never far from my thoughts.

It seemed the someway, everything I thought about, always came back to Chuck. It was like my thoughts were on an endless loop and they all centered around him. No matter where they started, they always ended right back on his smug, infuriating, self-serving, manipulative, dazzling, sexy, smile.

Damn him ! Of all the men in the world it should be easy to stay mad at, he was the one. Everything he did, every move that he made in our little game of checkmate, should have made me hate him.

But for some unknown, unfathomable reason, I couldn't make myself stay away from him. I couldn't keep myself from wondering where he was, what he was doing and who he was doing it with.

With his father's death things had shifted between us. I thought the night he spent in my arms, broken and beaten and so very much, UN-Chuck-like, would mean something. I thought the hours I spent rocking him and whispering to him that everything would be okay would count for something.

And apparently they had. They had turned him against me.

I would never in my life be able to forget the way his lip curled and the look of disgust on his face when he yelled at me, telling me I was not his wife.

He had made the word sound like the worse possible curse he could think of. Made it sound as if the mere thought of such a thing revolted him so terribly that he couldn't stand it.

And all I had been doing was trying to be there for him. All I wanted was to protect him from his vile, conniving uncle who was trying to take advantage of him so plainly. I just wanted him to see that I was looking out for him when he needed someone to be there.

Chuck didn't have many people in his life he could count on, trust. I had been one of the few. And he had done to me exactly what he did to everyone else. He pushed and pushed until finally I couldn't take it anymore. He left me with no other option besides running to save myself before I got caught up in his self destruction and he ruined me as well.

I had spent a lot of time trying to imagine why he reacted so badly when he figured out that someone cared about him. And I think I had a pretty good idea. Under all the swagger, all the conceit and insults, under all the cold, calculating evil, there was nothing but a scared, bewildered little boy. A little boy who was never good enough to earn his father's love or approval. A little boy abandoned by his mother before he even got a chance to find out if she loved him. A little boy raised by a string of people who were paid to care for him, paid to love him. A little boy that learned too quickly that once the checks stopped for them, so did the love and affection.  
God, was it any wonder that the man was a walking psych textbook ?

I knew all too well what it was like to never be good enough in the eyes of a parental figure. My mother was a walking, talking, sneering, testament to what it meant to not be good enough. No matter what I did, it was never enough for her. There was always room for improvement. I could have worn my hair different, chosen a better shade of eyeshadow, worn a dress better suited to my figure. The criticism never stopped.

So I knew that kind of thing wore on you after a while.

What I couldn't figure out was what I could do for him ? I didn't know how to break through the walls he had built up to keep the world away from him. And frankly, I was tired of beating my head against them. It was more than I could take. Chuck's resistance to real affection, real love was stronger than I was. And there weren't many things in the world I'd found that were stronger than I was.

" B ? Are you still there ?" Serena asked, bringing me away from my thoughts and back to the problem at hand.

" I'm here and I'm still not going to tonight." I answered, firmly.

" But everyone is expecting you to be there." She was practically whining now. God, I hated it when she did that.

" Well then everyone will just have to be disappointed."

" I'm coming over. In fact, I'm right down the street from you. I'll be there in five minutes. Then we are raiding your mother's latest line, calling Andre to do our hair and makeup and we are going to this party tonight. So yank out your favorite Jimmy Choo's, because this is happening whether you like it or not."

" S, you can't just make me do something I don't want to do. That would be kidnapping." I insisted.

She sighed so heavily I heard it through the phone. " Well, then just consider yourself napped."

She was true to her word, and as the elevator door opened, my shoulders dropped in defeat.

" Hardy Harrington." She announced as she stepped through the doors.

" Hardy Harrington ?" I asked, not recognizing the name.

" Hardy is the son of Mason and Judith Harrington. You know, you met them last summer at the Hamptons. Or were you too wrapped up in the whole ' Marcus' thing to remember ?" She explained.

I gave her a sneer as I search my memory for the name. Then it came to me and I nearly choked. "The Mason and Judith Harrington that sit on the Yale review board ? The Judge and his lovely wife, mistress of the Hampton social rooster ?" My interest was peaked.

" Yes, those Carringtons. Their son, Hardy is seventeen, blond, tan, handsome, rich and so very, very UN-Chuck it's ridiculous."

" Is he single ?"

She just nodded and gave me a huge smile. " Single and new in town and going to attend the party tonight with Nate."

" Why is this the first I'm hearing about this ?" I demanded, wanting to know why I was left out of the loop.

" Nate just called me. He wanted to know if Dan and I would help him introduce Hardy around. Apparently he doesn't want to ruin his date by having to babysit." She answered with a wave of her perfectly manicured hand.

"But won't that ruin your date ?"

" Not since you are going to take Hardy off both our hands." She smiled.

I slumped onto the red velvet chaise I was standing in front of, a frown creasing my forehead.

" What ?" She demanded, hands suddenly on her hips. " How is this not a perfect arrangement ?"

I tossed my hand in the air, telling her that the plan wasn't the problem. " It's just that Nate didn't think of pawning this guy off on me first. He called you instead, knowing that you would have a date just like him. Still, he called you."

She came over and sat down beside me. " Actually, Nate thought you had a date tonight, too. He figured you would especially not have time to deal with Hardy."

I looked up at her from under quirked eyebrows. " Why would he think that ?"

" He assumed you'd be going to the party as Chuck's date." She muttered under her breath.

I sank further into the cushion. " What made him assume that ?"

She looked away, then back, hiding her eyes behind a curtain of blond hair. " I may have told him that last week."

" Why would you do that ? You know Chuck and I are over." I exclaimed coming to my feet. " God, no wonder no one asked me to go to the party with them. They all thought I was the date of the man of the hour."

" It was before this latest breakup. I didn't know. I just thought you'd most likely be going together." She tried to explain.

" Since when has my name become attached to Chuck Bass' socially ? How did that happen ?" I screeched.

She stood up and put a hand on my shoulder. " There was a time, not so very long ago that you wanted your name attached to Chuck's like that. You have to give us a break, B. You two are so on again, off again, its hard to keep up."

I widened my eyes in outrage. " You're one to talk. People need a scoreboard to keep up with you and Brooklyn."

" His name is Dan. And we weren't talking about me. We were talking about you." Her voice was low and I knew I had stung her, but really I wasn't concerned with her at the moment.

" But I never really even dated Chuck." I continued like she hadn't spoken.

" No, you didn't but no one missed the antics. You and Chuck were all over Gossip Girl. Everyone knows you were together, even if you weren't ever actually together."

" Who were you together with ?" A new voice intruded on our private conversation and I turned to level him with a look that said it was none of his business.

" No one." I told my new step father as he came into the living room with that stupid smile he always wore covering his face.

" I didn't know you were seeing anyone." He said, like I hadn't just gave him the silent back off sign.

" I'm not. Like I said, it's no one. Just a misunderstanding." I repeated, through clenched teeth this time.

" This no one wouldn't have anything to do with the new cellphone you had to buy because you threw the other one at the wall last week, would it ?"

I huffed and stomped by foot.

" I thought so." He laughed. " Whoever no one is, he seems pretty determined. Must have been some kind of something to inspire that sort of persistence. By the way, I haven't seen much of that boy that used to come around all the time, lately."

He was teasing me. How dare he ! He had no right to go sticking his nose in my personal business like that. He wasn't my father. Even my father would have known better than to intrude on me like that. This demanded a talk with my mother, soon, very, very soon.

" That boy won't be coming around anymore. Not that it's any of your business." I answered, icily.

" That's too bad," He sighed, as he made to exit the room. " I really liked him."

Okay, the man really was deranged. He liked Chuck ? Parents didn't like Chuck. Parents sent their daughters to convents to keep them away from Chuck.

"Can we please go get ready for this party now ?" Serena asked.

I pushed by shoulders back and took a deep breath to release my irritation. " Okay. I guess I have no other choice."


	2. Chapter 2

I felt better than I had in a really long time. I found a dress from my mother's latest line that was completely perfect, though I'm sure had she been around, she would have disagreed. But she wasn't and I was very happy with my choice.

I'm not normally a red dress type. I prefer move subdued, flowing things. I had never felt like the woman in red type. But all that was changing tonight. Tonight I wanted to be someone different, new. Not perfect, always does what's expected, careful, contained, Blair. Tonight I wanted to be daring and sexy, mysterious and spontaneous.

I was turning over a new leaf and starting a new chapter in my life. One that the name Chuck Bass had nothing to do with.

My choice was red, low cut, form-fitting and floor-length. The neckline and the back, both plunged so far I was almost scared of unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions during the night. I had never worn anything like it before.

It was definitely more Serena's style than mine. But I was changing places with my best friend for the time being. I needed a chance to just let go and be someone new. This dress was going to give me the chance.

I chose to wore my hair up, piled on top of my head in an abundance of rich brown curls with several tendrils framing my face. Andre is a God among mortals. Everything was perfect and I had never felt more exotically beautiful.

Serena had apparently decided to go for my style in exchange because her dress of choice was subdued and demure compared to her normal party attire. It was tea-length. A champaign color, that I wouldn't have ever put with her blond hair and paler skin tone, was the background for an overlay of black lace, giving the garment an antique, vintage Chanel feel. It was simple and elegant and beautiful.

As the two of us stood in front of the mirror, examining our reflections, it struck me how very odd we looked. It was like we had exchanged bodies or something. Serena must have thought the same thing, because she started smiling slowly, but soon she was bursting out loud in laughter. Without realizing it, I joined her.

Obviously, the noise drew unwanted attention from the other parts of the house, because I looked up to find Cyrus watching us from the doorway.

" What could be so funny about two such beautiful women ?" He asked when I caught his eyes.

Serena straighten and took a deep breath to push the laughter away and I did the same. " We just had a funny thought." She explained as she gave me a significant look.

" Well, I'm glad you talked her into going to the party tonight." He told her. " I insist that you both have a wonderful time. " He gave me a quirked eyebrow and a knowing smile. " Blair, you shouldn't let some 'no one' keep you from having a good time."

I returned his smile. That was something my father would have told me, had he been there. Cyrus really wasn't so bad once you got to know him. He had his moments anyway.

Serena's mother sent a car for us and the ride to the party was quiet and uneventful until we picked Dan up. His eyes went wide when he first spotted me, or more importantly my dress, but soon we both settled into our habit of giving each other sneering smiles and trying to pretend the other didn't exist. It was our way, comfortable, constant, something I could depend on. Recently however, Dan had developed a nasty habit of actually responding to my biting remarks. Since Chuck and I weren't speaking much anymore, it was nice to have someone to verbally fence with and truthfully, Dan wasn't half bad at it. I was beginning to see what Serena found so fascinating about slumming it with him.

He got in and offered Serena a kiss in greeting. Then he gave me a pained look that might have started out as a smile. " Blair,"

I nodded and did a much better job of delivering a sickeningly, sweet grin. " Brooklyn."

" I love it when you say that like its the most vile thing you can think of." He answered, settling in beside his date.

I scoffed. " But it is the most vile thing I can think of. A Borough, really ?"

" I would have thought you'd already be at the party, lounging on the arm of the guest of honor." he quipped and the look on my face must have told him it was the wrong thing to say.

We had called a truce between us. We bit and scratched and insulted, but we didn't really try to draw blood anymore. We were making an effort for Serena's sake. So when the words left his mouth and he realized his mistake, he began to back peddle as quickly as he could. " I'm sorry. I just assumed that you would be going to this thing with him."

Serena jabbed him subtly in the side and he winced. But I waved him off. " It's okay. Apparently the entire world is under the same assumption."

" Blair is working on starting a brand new Chuck-free life." Serena interjected.

" Why ?" Dan asked, clearly confused.

Well, welcome to the club, Humphrey, you aren't the only one that's confused.

" We've parted ways, permanently this time." I told him.

He nodded. " Well, good for you. I think that's probably for the best. Chuck isn't really a one woman kind of guy anyway. God knows what he's been doing behind your back."

My eyes widened and Serena stomped his toe. " Dan !" She shushed him.

He shrugged and looked horror-stricken suddenly. " What ? I'm trying to be nice, to help."

" Well, it isn't working." she informed him.

" Okay, I'll just sit over here and be quiet. Blair, I didn't mean anything. I just mean, " He struggled with his words for a moment before sighing, " It's good you're putting him behind you. Or maybe its a bad thing and I'm sorry for your lose. " He glanced at Serena. " A little warning would have been nice."

I held up my hands to stop his squirming. " It's okay. Just forget about it. I don't want to talk about Chuck or the end of whatever it was between us. Let's just have a good time."

The limo stopped and Dan got out first, offering me a hand to assist my exit. I was surprised, but I accepted it graciously and waited as he helped Serena exit as well.

As she straightened, her face fell at the same instant Dan's did. Whatever they were seeing was directly over my shoulder and it must have been a terrible, horrible monster of some sort because they both paled as their jaws slacked and the look in their eyes bespoke a warning to me of unfathomable evil.

I turned with a startled whirl, the smile falling instantly to my toes. And came face to face with the unspeakable evil they were warning me against.

Chuck.

He looked better than I'd seen him in a really long time. His face was relaxed and jovial, not drawn with sadness or dazed by a cloud of drugs. His cheeks were rosy. His Armanti tux fit him perfectly. His brown hair was back to its normal, carefully controlled order. Even his chocolate eyes twinkled and sparkled with their own light as he smiled back at me.

I wanted to run my hands through his hair, to trail my fingers down the black velvet lapel of his jacket. I wanted to throw myself into his arms and kiss him until I was dizzy.

Damn it, I hated him.

He didn't say anything as his eyes scanned me slowly from top to bottom, caressing me with his gaze. His lips quirked on each side and I could see the hint of his dimples struggling to the surface of his cheeks.

Finally, one perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched and he gave me the full smile. " Blair." My name sounded indecent when he uttered it like that, letting it fall from his lips in that low rasp.

" Bass." I answered, trying to put us back on the last name basis that I was much more comfortable with.

" I wasn't expecting you to come tonight." He said, suddenly much closer to me though I hadn't seen him move. That was how it always was with us. Our bodies just seemed to naturally draw closer whether our brains agreed or not.

" It's the party of the year. Why wouldn't I be here ?" I asked as if his closeness wasn't affecting me at all. I was so proud of how natural and smooth my voice sounded.

" I just thought that you-" He began but couldn't finish as he was assaulted by a frill of pink lace and a whirl of blond hair.

" Chuck," She whined as she latched onto his arm. " I thought I lost you. I looked everywhere."

" I ran into a few friends." He told her as he drew her further into his side and gave her a beaming smile.

MY smile. He gave her my smile. I wanted to scratch her eyes out. I wanted to yank the Stella McCartney knock-off right off her body and toss it where it belonged, in the street. I wanted to rip the awful, horse-hair extensions from her head.

But I did none of those things. Unfortunately, I couldn't make myself form coherent words either, so I just stood there looking dumbfounded and stricken, waiting on someone to save me.

I was stunned once again as said hero stepped up behind me and put his arm around my waist.

Dan was the last person I expected to come to my rescue.

" Chuck, how's it going ?" He said, pulling Serena into his other side.

" Not as well as it appears to be going for you." Chuck sneered.

Dan shrugged and hugged us both tighter. " Well, what can I say, I'm too much man for just one of them."

" Right." Chuck nodded and rolled his eyes. " Well, before this gets anymore ridiculous, not that there's a chance of that happening, we'll excuse yourselves so Blair can be free to cringe openly at the feel of you touching her."

And with that he bow his head slightly in my direction and disappeared into the crowd of people with the bleached blond following along behind him.

I let out a breath and drew in another one quickly.

" You okay ?" Dan asked, leaning in close so no one else would overhear.

" I'm fine." Then I turned to him. " Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

" I know." He shrugged. Apparently Dan was a shrugger. " But look at it this way. That girl was so cheap and average, she couldn't have been further from you. Maybe that means something."

I stepped out of his arm and looked at him suspiciously. " Okay, what gives ? You are never this nice to me."

" I thought we'd called a truce." He answered simply.

" We have, but that this is beyond a truce. This is practically friendly. We aren't friends, Brooklyn."

Then I suddenly understood and my eyes flew open in alarm. It was just a hint of something I'd caught in his eyes. Something I didn't recognize because no one had EVER looked at me like that before.

It was pity. He was pitying me. How dare he ! No matter what had happened, I was still Blair Wardolf and no one ever, ever pitied me.

Serena caught my look a moment before I turned to storm off. She tried to grab me but I was faster and I left them standing there staring after me.

I raced through the ballroom with a singular purpose in mind. I wanted to be drunk and I wanted to be drunk right then. I knew I shouldn't have come here.

Everywhere I looked, happy couples were draped over each other, kissing, holding hands, giggling together.

My mind insisted on betraying me, reminding me of the few short days Chuck and I had spent together before the summer of hell when he'd abandoned me. I still hadn't forgiven him for that. I'd let myself overlook it because he meant so much to me, but I hadn't really forgiven him.

Still, it wasn't the feeling of loss and rejection that flew through my mind as I made my way over to the crowded bar. It was the days before. I had never been happier in my life than I had been in those few short hours.

I felt strangely whole, complete in a way I had never felt before. Like everything I'd always wanted was right there in my grasp. I had never loved Nate the way I did Chuck. It was never even close. I realized, after many hours of soul searching and Ben and Jerry's, that I was only with Nate because it was what was expected of me. There had never been a question about whether we were supposed to be together, we just were and that was all there was to it.

Maybe love didn't mean as much if you never had to fight for it ? Or maybe it really was true, maybe there really was only one person out there that you were meant to be with. If that was the case, then I was now doomed to a life spend alone.

Why did my soul mate have to be him ? Out of the billions of men in the World, why him ?

Somebody out there, some lucky person drew the soul mate lottery ticket with Zac Effron's name. I got Chuck Bass.

Life was not fair.

I got to the bar and demanded the entire bottle of vodka be handed over to me immediately.

The bartender eyed me suspiciously, but he gave in when I gave him the evil eye.

I went to the elevator and watched as the doors closed in front of me. The last image I got of the party was Chuck standing against the wall with the cheap tramp laying on him, trying to check his tonsils with her tongue.

Well, shows what she knew, I huffed. Chuck didn't have tonsils any more. I was there when they got taken out. So she could just search all she wanted. She wouldn't find them.

Wait, that wasn't what I wanted her to do, Fuck it all.

Chuck's gaze caught mine over her shoulder just as the doors closed and there was something in them, but I didn't want to linger on it. Instead, I snatched the bottle and took a long, hard pull from it.

The rooftop was a long ride. I was already buzzed a little by the time I arrived and I stumbled out into the cool night air feeling alone and dejected.

I hated losing and right at the moment, I felt like the world's biggest loser.

Was it possible that we really were over this time ? Was I really never going to feel his arms around me again, taste him again, hearing his voice purring across my skin again ?

I eyed the edge of the roof carefully as I downed another drink. I wasn't sure I even wanted to live in a world that didn't have Chuck in it. I was sure I didn't want to live in a world where I had to watch him making out with cheap floozies against walls.

Those were my kisses he was giving to her. My embraces that she was enjoying. She was stealing from me. Stealing something I held more valuable than anything else I had ever possessed.

I looked at the bottle in my hand and realized it was over half gone. I hadn't even been on the roof that long, but already the world was spinning on its axis. Shifting under my feet in a way that left me trying to keep my footing.

The night was decidedly hot. I stumbled as I got my Jimmy Choo's tangled in the fabric of my dress and I nearly fell.

I would have if it weren't for the arms that reached out and grabbed hold to steady me.

When I looked up, I figured I had passed out and I was dreaming.

His eyes weren't sparkling anymore. They were dark and hooded and worried. " Blair, what the fuck are you trying to do ?" Chuck asked me.


	3. Chapter 3

" Chuck, " his name was nothing more than a breath on my lips. He was so close, I could feel his heart pounding against my breast.

" What are you doing up here ? I was worried about you."

He let me go, stepping away from me after I got my feet under me. " Why are you here ? I don't want to see you ?"

His eyes darkened again and a jolt of pain flashed across his face. Then he turned away from me, heading back towards the door.

" Why can't you just stay away from me ?" I asked, more to stop him than to get an answer.

But he did stop. He stopped and turned back to me with an evil glint in his eye. " If that's what you really want, then that's what I'll do." He moved closer until he was invading my personal space again. I thought he was going to touch me but he didn't. " Are you sure you really want me to stay away from you though ?"

I wanted to scream yes into his face. I wanted to run from him. But of course, I couldn't do that. Couldn't make my legs or my mouth work.

" Don't touch me." I did managed finally.

" I'm not." He answered. And he was right, he still wasn't touching me though there was barely an inch of space between us. I involuntarily snaked my tongue out to wet my suddenly dry lips and his eyes followed the movement carefully. " But obviously you want me to."

" I don't want you to. I don't ever want you to touch me again." I lied but he easily saw through it.

" You're lips are saying no..." He trailed off as his gaze grew far away and distant. Then he swallowed and pulled back. " But you're eyes are saying just the opposite."

I clenched my betraying body parts closed and took a deep breath. " I just want to be alone."

He raised a steady hand and held it close to my check, close but still not touching. " It doesn't have to be this way." He muttered. " All we have to do is give in and stop fighting whatever this is between us."

I shook my head, almost violently, and he had to pull his hand away to keep me from slamming into it. " I can't do that. I have to fight this. It's the only thing I can do."

" Why ? Why do you have to keep fighting when we are obviously so good together."

My head was swimming. I couldn't make since of his words. But something in me told me to keep resisting him, to keep fighting. It was my only chance for survival.

" What about the girl downstairs ? You two looked pretty good together, too." I answered in way of changing the subject.

Of course it didn't work. Of course it was completely the wrong thing to say. Of course it was just the perfect step-up for him to say something amazing that I could feel all the way to my toes.

But somehow I still wasn't prepared when he opened his mouth to speak. " She's just the stand-in, Blair. You know that. You've ruined me. There will never be anybody else that can hold a candle to you. I'll never want anyone else the way I want you. Never."

I gulped and tried to back away, but in my inebriated state all I managed was to stumble. And once again his arm was there to steady me.

" And yet here you are, not even a full month after out latest ' Get out of my life' moment, with a quick replacement." I answered. I wasn't sure I even understood what I was saying, but I knew what I wanted to say. It just didn't seem to be coming out of my mouth the way I intended it to. Everything was all jumbled and hard to articulate.

" What's really bothering you ? Is that I replaced you or that I did it so quickly ?" He asked.

" Both !" I bellowed without thinking about my answer.

He grabbed me and pulled me into his chest. " I could never replace you."

Then he was kissing me and my head really was swimming. I couldn't figure out the difference between up and down. Right or wrong. My entire world collapsed as I did what I wanted to earlier and buried one hand in his hair and the other in his lapel. The feel of his arms around me again had to be sinful, it was too good not to be wrong.

And it was. The thought occurred to me as his tongue brushed over mine. This was so wrong. I couldn't let him do this to me again. I couldn't let him drag me down with him. I wanted to. More than anything in the world, I wanted to let him drag me where ever he wanted to take me.

But I couldn't do it. I was a surviver. It was what I did. And my instinct was screaming at me to run, to get away, as far away as I could.

I yanked away from him and turned, tangling my feet in my dress again and stumbling for the third time in less than an hour. Long dresses and booze, not a good combination. When I faltered, once again he was there, grabbing my arm, holding my upright, catching me before I fell. Just like before.

This time, however, I flung his hand off, causing me to completely lose my balance and land with a thump right on my ass.

Nice one, Waldorf. Real smooth.

I looked up at his face and he was clearly trying to hide his amusement at my antics. Wow, even better. He was struggling to keep from laughing at me. " Don't you dare !" I warned him. " I've seen you much worse off than this."

He stepped back and the amusement was gone suddenly. " Maybe, but its expected of me. On you, drunk just looks ridiculous."

" I'm not drunk !" I demanded and even I could hear the slur in my testament that spoke to the contrary.

" Okay, " He laughed. " Then what is the matter with you ? Normally you are one of the most graceful women I've ever seen."

" I'm just..." I searched my thoughts, trying to come up with something good. But found nothing. So I struggled to my feet and planted my hands on my hips. " Fuck you."

" Wow, that was eloquent." He smiled.

" Just leave me alone." I spat.

His smile widened and he dipped his head. " As you wish."

Then he turned to go, but stopped after a few steps and spun back towards me. " You might consider covering yourself though. The breeze is up here is quite chilly."

I didn't understand what he meant until he disappeared into the stairwell. Then I looked down and found, to my horror, that the dreaded wardrobe malfunction had indeed occurred. My left boob was sticking entirely out of my bodice.

After tucking myself in, I plopped myself down on the cold concrete of the roof and downed the rest of the bottle in just a few short gulps.

That was where Nate found me.

" Blair," My name drew my attention to the shadow of the stairwell and I squinted as I tried to make out who was calling to me.

He stepped out of the shadows looking every bit as poised and beautiful as he always did. His classic Archibald features crinkled into a smile as he stepped closer. His sandy blond, perfect hair swayed in the light breeze that had descended upon the city. His broad square shoulders shook lightly as he took me in, complete with empty vodka bottle laying on its side at my feet.

" Are you okay ? Someone said they saw you coming this way." He informed me casually as he came to settle beside me.

I shifted enough to rest my head on his shoulder and his arm came around my waist. " Let me guess who that ' someone' was." I muttered, dejectedly.

He shrugged. " He was worried about you."

" Great, now I have his pity, too. That's wonderful."

He turned his head slightly so he could see my face. " Who is pitying you ?"

" Dan and apparently Chuck."

" Dan is pitying you ? That's ridiculous. Why would he pity you ?"

" He was being so nice to me. I couldn't figure it out at first, but then it suddenly dawned on me." I felt the tears falling to my check. " No one has ever looked at me like that before. It was horrible."

He squeezed my waist. " I'm sure you were just reading more into it than there was." He assured me. "I bet he still hates you as much as he always has."

I chuckled quietly. " Did you get to meet her ? Is she nice ?"

His eyebrows raised at first then settled as he caught my meaning. " You mean Tiffanie. She's about normal for him. Nothing special. I wouldn't worry if I were you."

" I'm not worried. I'm so over him." I informed him firmly.

He nudged the vodka bottle with the toe of his leather shoe. " Of course you are."

I cried harder and buried my face in his shoulder. " I've never felt like this before. Breaking up with someone has never felt this bad before."

He shifted and brushed my hair away from my shoulder. " Thanks a lot."

I realized too late what I had said and how it would inevitably make him feel and I hid my face in my hands. " I'm sorry. That didn't come out the way I meant it. Of course, it hurt when we broke up."

He took my hands from my face and gave me a smile. " It's okay. I understand. We were never right for each other. You and Chuck are different."

" There's never even really been a Chuck and I. We always just circle around each other. We fight and jab and scratch and bite, but we've never been together. Not like you and I were." I told him, talking more to myself than him.

He pulled me in closer and squeezed me. " Okay, that's all true. But maybe you and Chuck aren't you and I. I'm not sure the two of you can ever be like we were. It isn't who you are. All the scratching and biting and fighting IS who you are." He smiled down at me. " More importantly, it's what both of you needs. It's what keeps you going. I would have bored you to death within a year."

I laughed. " Maybe that's true. But this is too much. I can't keep doing this to myself. It's killing me. It's not good for either of us."

" Maybe that's true, too. But maybe you're just going through a rough patch. You know with his father dying and Yale bearing down on you." He offered.

I sat up straighter and huffed. " Don't you get it. When that's over, it'll just be something else. Life is full of things that test you. We just failed this test."

He turned to me and grabbed my shoulders. " You only failed because you let yourself. You didn't fail, you gave up. And I have never known you to give up on anything before in your life."

" It's too late." I shuddered and shook my head vehemently. " It's over. He's already moved on anyway."

" Moved on ? With Tiffanie ?" He bellowed. " You are serious ? He dumped her. Walked her right out of the party and deposited her in a cab when he got back downstairs." I stopped abruptly and looked into his face.

" He did ?"

He nodded. " He told me once, right after his father's wedding that he loved you. He has never said that about anyone else in his life. Never. I wasn't even sure he was serious at first. But I've watched him. Believe me, I know Chuck Bass better than anyone else in the world. I've seen parts of him that no one else has. He loves you. The question is, do you love him ?"

" Of course I love him. The question is, do I love him enough ?"

He turned me until my back was settled against his chest and his chin rested on my shoulder. " Do you?"

" I thought so. I really did. But I guess I was wrong." I sighed.

" It's going to be okay, Blair. Everything's going to work out."

I just couldn't make myself believe him.


	4. Chapter 4

Nate walked me back downstairs. He allowed me to avoid the ballroom where we could hear the party going on full swing. People were laughing, music was playing and I was miserable. Completely miserable and I wanted nothing at all to do with the merriment.

He hailed me a cab and reached to open my door, but he stopped mid motion and looked over at my shoulder in the same way Serena and Dan had when we first arrived.

God, this was getting tiring. I turned to the inevitable sight behind me, saying his name before I even completed the turn.

" Let me see you home." He offered. " It's the least I can do."

I sighed and turned back to the cab without answering him. When it became apparent I wasn't planning on acknowledging him, he reached for my arm. My skin tingled like it always did at the contact, but I did my very best to ignore the feeling.

I refused to turn to him. Flatly refused, but he was insistent.

Nate even opened his mouth as if he were about to say something to him, but Chuck shot him a warning look that told him to back off and he listened.

" I have a few things I'd like to say to you. I would appreciate it if you at least listened to me." He told me from over my shoulder.

" I don't want to hear whatever it is. I'm moving on. It's time you do the same." I said, still not turning.

" Blair." His breath brushed my shoulder as he stepped closer still. " It's just a ride home. You aren't even that far away. It'll be a short ride. Can I have that at least, please ?"

He said please and it made me stop. Chuck didn't say that word very often. He wasn't the type to ask for anything, opting instead to just take what he wanted most of the time.

" If I go with you, will you promise to leave me alone after that ? Just walk away and not look back ?"

I heard him swallow. I actually heard his Adam's Apple bob. His voice was shaky when he spoke. "I promise. After I say what I need to say, I'll leave you alone forever. You'll never have to talk to me again." His lips almost brushed my bare shoulder. " If that's still what you want."

" Chuck." I warned him. " You can't do that. I swear to you if I hear you just once use your 'sexy' voice I will have the driver pull over immediately. If you do that thing with your eyes where it looks like your seeing me naked, I leave. If you touch me at all, I'm gone. If you even wiggle your eyebrows at me, the conversation is over."

He stepped back and cleared his throat. I watched Nate's eyes widen in amazement that Chuck was doing as I asked.

" Okay. It's a deal. No cheap tricks. No ploys. Just talking." Chuck answered and I finally turned back to him. Then I threw a glance over my shoulder. " It's okay, Nate. I appreciate the cab. But it seems I have alternate transportation."

Nate came up behind me and kissed my check. " You should bottle whatever it is that you do to make him heal like that." He whispered into my ear as he brushed past me.

Then he clutched Chuck's shoulder and gave him a smile. " Good luck, Man." For a second he leaned in closer. And I barely caught his words. " If you hurt her, I hurt you back."

Chuck nodded in agreement and reached his hand towards me. I took it reluctantly and climbed into the back of his waiting limo.

Once we settled, Chuck cleared his throat again and laced his fingers together over his knee.

" I'm not sure where to begin." He started.

" Well, you better figure it out. You're right it isn't a very long ride." I felt a little badly for my tone. But I refused to make this easy for him. He had hurt me too much. I wanted to watch him squirm.

" I think you're making the right decision. I think it's best that we don't see each other anymore."

My eyebrow's shot up to my hairline and I felt like kicking him as hard as I could. " You did all that to tell me you agree with me ?"

" I guess I did." He answered simply. " We aren't getting anywhere here. We always come back to the same thing and all I can apparently do is give you more and more ammunition to fuel your hatred of me every time we try this." He sighed. " I'd rather cut my loses and hope that right now you don't hate me so much you'll never forgive me. So, I'm stopping while I'm ahead, because God knows what I'll do the next time."

I rolled my eyes at him. It was another Bass ploy. He'd pretend to be all apologetic and remorseful. He'd put himself down and I'd disagree with him and tell him he wasn't whatever he was accusing himself of being. We'd been here before.

I held up my hand before he could continue. " Stop right there. I thought I said I didn't want to hear any of your games and schemes. If you can't just be honest with me for once, this is done and you can stop the car right here."

" Okay." He sighed, clearly disgusted that I'd seen through him so easily. " I don't want to not see you again."

" Why, Bass ? Give me a reason why you don't want to see me again." I demanded sitting up straighter.

" I don't know why."

I scoffed and he lowered his eyes and narrowed them before looking back up at me. " Okay, I know why. You know why. Whatever this is between us, its real and its powerful and we both like it too much to walk away from it."He answered.

He was staying safe. Not really putting anything into his words. It was the same old routine still. Whatever it took to not let himself get too involved in the conversation.

I reached for the button that controlled the window between us and the driver. He reached out and grabbed my hand, resting his over it.

" Why are you making this so hard ?" He asked, showing the first bit of emotion he had since we'd started our talk.

And of course, the emotion was anger, I should have expected that.

" It isn't hard. Or at least it shouldn't be. But obviously it's more than your capable of. Now let go of my hand."

He did as I asked, but he put his over the button so I couldn't reach for it again. Then he looked up at me and grabbed my eyes with his. His bottom lip was quivering when he opened his mouth. " Blair, please."

" Please what ?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

" Give me a chance."

" You've had your chances and you rip them to shred every time. I won't live like this. I can't do it anymore. I can't be happy for a day, wondering the entire time what's going to happen to ruin it all." I told him, taking his hand off the button.

I reached for it again, but before I got the chance to hit it, the window between us and the driver lowered on its own.

Chuck's eyes met mine for an instant and he looked bewildered and angry. The he lurched backwards and to the side, slumping in the seat across from me in a heap.

I opened my mouth to scream but the sound never made it my lips.

In the next second, all I knew was blackness.

The blackness was still there, complete and entire when I blinked my eyes opened again. But the limo was gone. I had no idea where I was, but I knew I was laying on a bed. Not a particularly comfortable one either. The mattress was bare and smelled of dust and mold and other things I didn't want to think about too much. It was cold, so cold my hands and feet were nearly numb from it. The chill in the air was deep and bitter. The only heat source I found came from a body laying beside me. The familiar weight of a hand draped over my waist and the sound of his soft snores told me exactly who it was.

I almost just snuggled back into Chuck's side and went back to sleep.

Then I remembered. The events in the limo came back to me as if the images were surrounded in a fog that was slowly clearing. My heart rate jumped and fear gripped me as I recalled the way he had slummed over in his seat as if he were a balloon that someone deflated.

I snatched the blindfold that was covering my eyes away and let my vision adjust to the difference in lighting.

Chuck had me cradled in the croak of his shoulder. His arm, covered in his white dress shirt, was draped over my waist as if we were taking a casual nap in the middle of the day. His shoes were gone as were mine and his shirt and pants were rumbled like he'd been sleeping in them for a long while.

The peaceful, almost ethereal look on his face as he slumbered away beside me seemed strange considering our circumstances. I took off his blindfold as well and found the only mar in the perfection of his sharp, almost feminine features, a reddish puffiness under his left eye. I looked closely and knew that in a little while that red would turn to purple as a full bruise developed.

" Chuck," I called to him as I jerked upright. " Wake up."

" Blair," He mumbled sleepily. " Come back to bed. Whatever it is can wait."

I slapped his shoulder a touch harder than I meant to and his eyes flashed opened in anger. " What the hell was that for ?" He grumbled.

" Where are we ?" I demanded.

I came upright instantly and all sleepiness was suddenly gone from his face. " The limo, " He muttered. " The last thing I remember was the limo."

" Yeah, me too." I agreed.

He came to me quickly and let his eyes scan every uncovered inch of me. " Are you okay ? Are you hurt ?"

" I'm fine. But your eye is bruised." I informed him as I gingerly touched the redness with my fingertip. " Does anything else hurt ?"

He took a moment to stretch his muscles, surveying any damage he might have. As he tried to raise his arms over his head, he winced and brought them quickly back to his sides.

He clutched at his side protectively and I reached for his shirt, raising it so I could see the source of the pain.

His ribs were red like his eye, but the area was much larger and it was already turning purple.

" It's okay." He told me as he saw the concern in my eyes. " Nothing's broken."

" How do you know ?" I asked.

" Because I've had broken ribs before and I can tell. Now let's try to figure out where we are and how to get out of here."

Grabbing my hand in his, he searched the room with a glance.

It was mostly empty other than the large bed that occupied its center. One door leading out sat in the far corner and a dirty, dust-covered dresser were the only other things present. There was no linen on the bed. No window. The walls were a dingy, off white colored plaster with several cracks and dents in them.

On closer inspection we found the door was sturdy and solid. Without really expecting it to work, I tried the brass doorknob and it turned easily in my hand, much to my surprise.

We stepped out of the room, still hand in hand, Chuck taking the lead, and found ourselves in a short hallway. There was one door directly across from the room with the bed, and another at the end. The other end of the hall opened into a larger room.

We checked the door across from us and found a filthy, yet functional bathroom. The tub was grimy and covered with dust and cobwebs. The toilet looked as if it hadn't been used in a century. But the water in the sinked worked though it was reluctantly at first.

The larger room turned out to be a combination living room/ kitchen. The small refrigerator was filled with several days worth of food, bottled water and soft drinks. A rickety card table sat in the corner next to a stove that had seen many better days. Again the water in the basin-like sink worked and we found plates and glasses and other food staples stocked in the dingy, off-white cabinets.

A double-door pantry held even more food and, much to my surprise, several bottles of liquor. Everything from tequila to wine. There were a few different kitchen appliances under the skin along with pots and pans and baking ware in another cabinet.

The living room was small and barren for the most part. An entertainment center held a television, a stereo, a DVD player and several movies. It even had a gaming system of some sort, though I didn't know enough about them to know which one it was or what kind of games were there.

The only furniture was a run-down rust colored couch that sat at an odd angle as if one or more of the legs were missing and a few springs were sticking out in the back causing the material to bulge in places.

There were no windows anywhere.

The door at the end of the hall was the only one we found that was locked. It was also made of a heavy metal material that said it wasn't budging. A huge lock slid back into the wall that was attached to a metal bar. There was a light over the door. At the moment it was red, I guess that said that the lock was engaged.

" What the hell is going on ?" I asked as we came back to the kitchen part of the 'house'.

" I have no idea." Chuck informed me.

" There's enough food to keep us here for weeks." I squawked. " I don't want to be here for weeks, Chuck. I want to go home."

He had let my hand go and was now taking one of the flimsy folding chair that sat at the table. He sat with a tired humph and rested his head in his hands. " I know, Blair. I"m sorry."

" Why are we here ? Who took us ? What do they want ?" I continued, failing in my attempt to remain calm and fight the panic that had been growing since I woke up.

He got up and grabbed me into his chest, smoothing my hair as he shushed me soothingly. " It's going to be okay. We'll find someway out of here."

My eyes fell to the television over his shoulder and I noticed for the first time a piece of paper attached to the screen.

" There's a note." I muttered quietly into his shoulder.

He glanced down at me to see where I was looking before letting me go and grabbing the note.

" Dear Mr. Bass, " He mumbled as he quickly read its contents. " I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you at this time, but I'm afraid I had no other choice. Please don't panic. No harm will come to either you or your companion if you simply do as you're instructed. You should find everything you need here in my fall-out shelter. Understand that the door is locked and can only be opened from the outside. The walls are sound-proof and you are several feet underground so there is nothing but dirt on the other side of the walls. In short, you are not going anyway. Any attempts at escaping will only be wasting your time and energy. If you give us no reason to harm you, you will be safe and unhurt. Resist us in anyway and we will take appropriate action. This is not personal. It's only business. Its up to you to make sure it stays that way."

Chuck crumbled the paper and flung it to the floor.

" They want money. Then its okay. My parents will give them whatever they ask for. And so will Lily. We'll be home by the end of the day." I answered, feeling suddenly uplifted.

" I don't think it's going to be that easy." He told me.

" Why not ?"

" Well, first off, I don't think they know who you are. The note was addressed to me, not both of us. And if it were as simple as that, why do we have enough food and supplies here to last for several weeks ?"

" Then what is all this about ?" I asked. " What could they want from you if it isn't money ?"

" I don't know. But I think there's more going on here than we're seeing."


	5. Chapter 5

I was sitting on the bed, having meandered back into the bedroom because I didn't know what else I was supposed to do.

We were stuck. There was nothing we could do about it. All we could do was sit back and wait for something, anything to change. Then we could react. But for the time being we were trapped.

Stuck together in a tiny apartment-like living space for God knew how long. Trapped with Chuck. For weeks. Maybe months. Definitely days. With the one person in the world I did NOT want to be trapped with.

I didn't even want to be in the same room with him. I was trying to avoid him. How could I possibly avoid him now ? I was never going to get through this. The kidnappers, whoever they were, were torturing me without even realizing it.

Two days, tops and I would tell them anything, give them anything to escape. I was sure of it. Maybe they knew exactly what they were doing.

Crafty kidnappers, GREAT!

Just as I was thinking that maybe it was possible for me to fake a comma until someone rescued us, Chuck appeared at the doorway and cleared his throat.

" Are you hungry ?" He asked, his voice quiet and strained.

I sighed. It was inevitable. I was going to have to deal with him eventually. But I wanted him to know they we were in no way okay. This wasn't going to be some vacation for us where we get to play house for a little while and spend all our time in bed together, bonding or whatever.

No, there would be distance here. There would be space and there absolutely, positively would be no bonding or whatever.

" I think we need to discuss how this is going to work." I announced as I sat up straighter.

" I found some boxes out here. There's all kinds of stuff in them. Towels, clothes, bed linen. There's even a kit with some medicine and stuff."

" Good. At least we'll have everything we need." I answered as I wrapped my arms around my chest.

" So what is it you want to discuss ?" He asked as he came and sat down beside me.

" Sleeping arrangements for one." I began.

" I'll take the couch." He offered before I got very far. " You can have the bed. It's fine."

" There's only one heater that I've seen and its freezing down here. I was thinking we could just switch off with the floor in here." I explained my much saner solution.

" Or we could just be adults and share the bed since there are only so many blankets to go around and neither of us wants to sleep on the floor."

I glared at him for a moment. But his argument made since. I was already dreading my night on the cold concrete floor. " Okay, I suppose we can try it. But you stay on your side of the bed. I'll stay on mine and no touching."

He nodded. " No touching. Got it."

" As for food, I don't know much about cooking, but I'm betting I know more than you do. So I'll cook, you can clean up afterwards."

" I can cook." He protested. " A little anyway. As much as you can I'll bet."

I huffed. " Fine, we'll take turns."

" Fine. There's another problem." He told me quietly.

" What ?"

" No hot water. I tried all the faucets and nothing comes out. Just cold."

I glared at him in shock. " What about bathing ?"

" I guess we take cold baths." He shrugged.

" It's freezing in here. Like you said. We'll catch pneumonia."

" Okay." His hands gripped his thighs like he was trying to hold on to his temper. " We'll have to heat the water up in the kitchen."

" Is there anything else I don't know about yet ?"

He nodded. " Not that I've found yet."

" Good. I'm starving. I'm going to take my turn cooking first." I stood and started for the door.

" No, let me. You can work on unpacking the boxes. Maybe find us a movie to watch while we eat."

I turned to him with my hands on my hips. " Chuck, we are not watching a movie together. We aren't eating together. I'm going to eat in here. You can eat in the kitchen or the living room, or where ever you want as long as it isn't in here with me. We aren't going to hang out. We aren't together. We are two people stuck in the same place. Two people that hate each other, I might add."

He stepped up to me with a look on his face that I didn't really recognize but it looked close to hurt. " I don't hate you. I've never hated you."

I stomped my foot childishly and whirled on my heel away from him. " Well, in your own words, That's too bad."

I was elbow deep in a box filled with reject clothes that looked as if they belonged in a salvation army, when Chuck announced that lunch was ready. We assumed it was lunchtime anyway. Having no contact with the outside world it was hard to tell whether it was daylight or dark, night or day.

" I've made a decision regarding this little arrangement." He announced as he put the plates filled with steamy food down on the table. " I will agree to stay away from you. We can take turns between the living room and bedroom, if that's how you want it. But, we eat together."

I opened my mouth, about to protest, but he held his hand up. " You have set all the rules here. And I'm agreeing to follow them. Give me this, at least. We are the only human contact we'll probably have for I'm not sure how long. I realize you have never had this happen to you before and it may seem novel to you. But I'm telling you, I've gone long periods of time without another soul around. It isn't nice. It'll make you crazy before too long."

I stared at him for a moment, not sure how to respond. He was giving in to every one of my demands. I guessed the least I could do was agree to this much.

I sat with my back rigid and a napkin I'd found in one of the boxes draped over my leg. The food wasn't bad though I wasn't sure what it was supposed to be. I decided not to ask. It was eatable and that was good enough.

Chuck hadn't said a word to me since we started eating and I was beginning to wonder what the point of this whole eating together thing was all about. If we weren't talking, weren't even looking at each other, why did we have to go through the discomfort of being in the same room with each other ?

Then he took a drink from his glass and cleared his throat.

" I want you to know that I'm sorry all this has happened to you. Whatever is going on, I would have done anything to keep you out of it, had I known." He said, sincerely and honestly.

" I know you would have. I don't blame you for any of THIS." I made sure to emphasize the last word so he would understand that all was not forgiven.

" Are you really going to keep this up the entire time we're here ?" He answered finally.

" There's nothing to keep up. I just don't want to be around you. It's that simple."

" Blair, this is ridiculous. Can't we just put everything aside so we can get through this ?" He sat his glass down with a thump.

" I am. I'm not planning on fighting with you. I'm not planning on talking about anything that's happened between us. I'm not planning on dealing with you at all. That means I'm setting things aside for now." I explained simply as I finished eating and used the napkin to dab at my mouth. Then I sat it down on my plate and stood from the table. " I'm done. I'll be back a little later to clean up."

I walked away before he could say anything else.

I made it through the dishes with little incident, though honestly I had no idea what I was doing. But I figured how hard could it be, a little soap, a little water, rinse, done.

When I finished, I retreated back to the bedroom and started trying to make it into some place I could live in. I found the sheets in the box along with a few blankets and a couple of pillows. By the time I finished the bed definitely looked more comfortable anyway.

I could hear noise coming from the living room, so either he was watching the T.V. or listening to music or playing with the game system.

I remembered when we were younger, he and Nate would sit in front of his television, playing games for hours on end. I'd even caught him recently playing with Eric a couple of times. Serena said it happened a lot when they were both home with nothing else to do, not that there had ever been a time when I found myself keeping tabs on him. That would have been desperate and clingy.

I found a trashy romance novel in one of the boxes and I flopped down on the bed to read it. I hadn't even noticed how much time had gone by until Chuck came to the door again and cleared his throat.

" Do you want the living room for a while ?" He asked, still in that eerily quiet, strangely subdued way.

" Is there anything good to watch ?" I asked over the top of my book.

He shrugged. " There's a cabinet full of movies and T.V. shows."

" What have you been doing out there all this time ?"

" I watched a few movies and played a game. There's a Wii and a Playstation3. You should try them." He suggested. " It'll at least give you something to occupy your time."

" What are you going to do ?"

" I'm heating up some water for a bath. Unless you want to use it. I can take one after you."

I shook my head. Then hesitated. A bath sounded wonderful. I felt grimy having spent the first part of my day crawling through dusty, dirty boxes. But again, I didn't want him to feel like he was doing me any favors. " It's okay. I'll take one after you."

He sighed. " You obviously want a bath. Just let me fix it for you. It's no big deal."

" Okay." I gave in.

" Give me about thirty minutes. I'll have it ready for you." He nodded. Then paused. " I need the heater."

" Why ?" I asked, glancing at the same device that was serving to keep me warm.

" Because I want it and you've had it all afternoon." He announced a little defensively.

" Fine." I huffed. " Take it."

Half an hour later he called to me from the hallway, telling me the bath was ready.

I stepped into the small bathroom and stepped back in shock. Chuck had cleaned.

The bathroom was no longer the filthy little hovel that it had been when we first found it. It was sparkling clean and warm. The dust, dirt, and cobwebs were gone. In the corner, the tub looked so inviting with steaming rolling off the water filling it. The little heater purred away in the corner, making the small space toasty warm and very relaxing. He had even found some candles, there were several of them lit around the room casting it in a soft, yellowish glow.

I had found heaven. There was a fluffy, indulgent-looking dark blue towel sitting on the counter along with a smaller one on top of it. And he had dragged the speakers from the stereo in the living room to the counter. Soft, peaceful music drifted from them, adding to the feel of the room.

It was wonderful. The feel of the water as I submerged myself was like a warm cocoon, wrapping me in its comfort and easing the tension from my sore muscles.

I lost myself, closing my eyes and laying my head against the porcelain of the tub, I allowed myself to drift away and forget about everything that was going on around me.

It was a long time later that I heard a knock on the door and I blinked my eyes open and squinted into the near darkness.

" Yes," I called out.

He cracked the door an inch so I could hear him.

" I thought you might need something to help get the shampoo out of your hair." He answered and I instantly sat up and huffed again. Leave it to him to do something nice then go and ruin it a minute later. He just couldn't follow through with a good deed for some reason.

" No, I don't need your help getting the shampoo out of my hair. I thought I made this very clear, Chuck."

He eased the door opened further and pushed what looked like a pitcher through the crack. " I wasn't offering my services." He answered, flatly. " I was trying to give you this, but I'd be more than happy to assist you if you'd like."

" Oh," I mumbled. " Well, then thank you."

He stepped inside with one hand covering his eyes like an idiot. I took the pitcher from him and thanked him again.

" We don't have to be enemies, Blair. We could try to just be friends again. I seem to remember that we made it work for a really long time when we were kids." He announced before turning away.

" Thank you for the bath. It was really nice of you." I offered.

" Does that mean we can stop fighting and just try to get along ?" He turned back to me and his hand fell away from his face.

" I suppose we could try. Stranger things have happened, right ?"

He smiled though it didn't really reach his eyes. " Yes, they have. Are you sure you don't want some help with the shampoo ?"

I splashed him with water and he held his hands up in front of him defensively. " It wasn't a come on. Your hair's really long. Its gonna to take some work to get it clean like that. Now do you want some help or not ?"

" I'm supposed to believe that, right ?" I asked, pointedly.

" Yes, you are. Its the truth. But you know, never mind, do it yourself. Dinner is almost ready."

Then he turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Okay, he was right, getting my hair washed and rinsed was a problem and when I was done, I still wasn't sure I'd gotten all the soap out of it. Still, there was no way I was going to call him back and ask for his help. Though it had not escaped my attention that the entire we were having a conversation with me naked in a bathtub, his gaze had never strayed from my face.

I climbed from the tub and wrapped one towel around myself and the other around my hair. Then I went to the living room to find something to put on in the reject clothing.

I stopped the moment I entered the large space, once again taken aback.

Chuck had been busy. All the boxes were unpacked and their contents apparently stashed away in their proper places around our temporary home. There was a fluffy-looking blanket covering the couch and another one laying over its arm. The screen of the television along with all the other surfaces had been wiped down and freed of the dust that previously covered them. More soft music drifted from the T.V. filling the room with the same kind of relaxing vibe that occupied the bathroom.

There was a tablecloth over the table and two long, red taper candles lit in its center. Two plates filled again with delicious looking, steaming food sat on opposite sides in front of the rickety chairs. A bottle of wine sat beside the candles.

" Your clothes are in the top drawer in the dresser in the bedroom." He said without looking up at me.

I turned without a word and went to get dressed. I choice a pair of ill-fitting sweatpants and a huge sweatshirt. I had never in my life worn anything like it and as I looked down at myself, I felt like climbing back into the tub. But I resisted the urge and made way to dinner.

" I thought maybe you'd like to catch a movie after dinner." He suggested from where he stood with his arms crossed over his chest, leaning against the sink, when I reentered the room.

" What movie ?" I asked as I moved to the table and took my seat.

" I found 'Gone with the Wind'. I've never seen it, but I know you liked it."

He took his own place and poured us both a glass of wine.

" You've never seen ' Gone with the Wind' ?"

He shook his head. "Not really my style."

I rolled my eyes and gave him a smile. " It's everyone's style."

" Maybe I'll watch it later, after you go to bed, or tomorrow." He answered.

I waved him off. " You can just watch it with me. I guess we can try this getting along thing. I'm not making any promises though."

" I'm not asking for any." He smiled. " Just give me a chance."

I took a drink from my glass to wet my suddenly dry throat. He sounded so honest and sincere it was frightening. He wasn't professing his endless love or anything that monumental. But it was a step. It was progress. I didn't know why he was suddenly being so nice, but I was willing to just let myself go with it, for now anyway.


	6. Chapter 6

It was Chuck's idea actually. I had to give him credit for it. It was brilliant. We had spent the first twenty minutes of the movie on separate ends of the couch, trying to share the same blanket so we could attempt to keep from freezing. The temperature in the larger room had dropped considerably and the little heater was doing its best, but it was fighting a losing battle.

So Chuck decided our best option was to redecorate.

We spent an hour clearing off the entertainment center so we could move it to the bedroom. Then we reassembled it carefully, returning everything back to the shelves. Once we got the furniture arranged, brought the heater into the smaller room and closed the door, the chill in the air became bearable. My teeth were no longer chattering and I wasn't shivering uncontrollably. So it was a good idea.

The only problem with the plan was the new seating arrangement as we settled in to restart the film.

Chuck stripped down to a pair of pajama pants he found amongst the clothing and I found a night shirt that was several sizes too big and hung nearly to my knees. Then he got into bed and propped himself up on his pillow with his back against the wall. I did the same at first, but I couldn't seem to get comfortable. I wasn't sure why. I tried to ignore it and concentrate on the movie playing. It was one of my favorites, after all, but I couldn't help but wiggle as I tried to find a more comfortable position.

Chuck kept glancing at me with a annoyed look in his eye. I did my best to pretend he wasn't watching me. But it turned out to just make my jitters worse. I had no idea what was wrong with me. Any other time I would have lost myself in Tara and forgot all about the world around me. But this time, I could just couldn't concentrate.

Halfway through, Chuck paused the DVD. " What is wrong with you ?"

" Nothing." I lied quickly.

" You're ruining the movie. Why can't you sit still ?" He pressed.

" I just can't get comfortable." I admitted.

" How can I help ?" He offered. " What can I do to make you comfortable ?"

" I don't know."

He looked at me carefully before sighing and raising the blankets that lay between us from the bed. "You're still cold. Come closer."

I looked at him doubtfully. Then I remembered the bathroom and the way he hadn't tried one time in our conversation to ogle me even though I was completely naked in front of him. He hadn't once looked anywhere but at my face.

I moved closer, sitting with my back rigid and my arms tucked into my sides.

He started the movie again and I let myself sink into it finally. Slowly, I began to relax, letting my shoulders slump and without my noticing, the tension was easing from my back. I leaned back against what I thought, at first was the pillow, but then, when it moved, realized was Chuck's chest. His arm snaked around my waist and he drew me closer still, but his hand stayed resting on my stomach.

Normally, he would have tried to cop a feel. Normally, he would have made a move. I expected any moment to feel his breath brushing over my shoulder. I expected to hear him sighing into my ear. I was anticipating the moment when he would lean closer and whisper something obscene.

But none of that happened. He just watched the movie. He watched and held me against him and did nothing at all Chuck-ish.

I was shocked.

I had no idea how to react to him at the moment. The moment I moved into his arms, I'd felt the electricity that always seemed to vibrate through me when we touched. The wonderful, heady jolt of pleasure that rocked me whenever we came into contact.

But apparently, he hadn't noticed it. Or he was ignoring it. Or maybe just wasn't feeling it any longer.

I wasn't sure how I felt about that prospect. I know I told him to leave me alone. I know I told him that I never wanted him to touch me again.

But had I really meant it ? Did I really never want to feel him holding me ever again ? Was I really ready to pronounce our relationship well and truly over ?

Obviously, he had. Obviously, he was taking me at my word. He wasn't pushing me like he always did. He wasn't bombarding me with seduction and tempting me into giving in.

He was leaving me alone. Chuck was leaving me alone.

I suddenly felt very, very lonely, a little hurt and definitely abandoned.

How could I be mad at him for doing just what I asked him to do ?

How was I going to handle that ? Could I just sit up and slap him on the shoulder and tell him I hadn't really meant it ? Could I pout and throw a fit until he demanded to know what was wrong ? At which point I would say what ? I was only teasing when I said don't ever touch me again. My other personality is the one that hates you. I changed my mind.

No, none of that was even close to reasonable. I made my bed, now it was time I laid in it. This was how things between us were going to be from now on. There was no changing that. I couldn't go back.

No matter how much I wanted him to hold me tighter. No matter how desperately I wanted to feel his hands brushing over my breasts.

It was just lust that was driving my desires. I had dealt with lust before. I could overcome lust. I was more than just a walking hormone. I would not give in.

Suddenly, he sat up straighter, nearly knocking me over in the process and his eyes were wide with horror.

I glanced at the screen, bringing my mind back to the movie and saw that Bonnie, Rhett and Scarlet's child, had just died.

It was a very emotional part of the movie. The climax of the entire three hours. The look on his face was priceless as he watched the scene play out in front of him. I nearly laughed out loud. He was very close to tears himself.

I think, since Bonnie had died by being thrown from a horse, if there had been a horse nearby, Chuck would have shot it. Regardless of whether it was the offending animal or not.

He settled back finally as the mood of the movie carried his emotions in a different direction. I watched in fascination as his shoulders finally relaxed and he unconsciously pulled me back into his side.

His chin was resting on my shoulder and his arms were wrapped a lot tighter around my waist this time, as if he were clutching me like some kind of defense against another shock to his emotions.

When it came at the very last scene of the movie, he tensed again, his eyes completely transfixed on the screen as Rhett Butler spoke his infamous line, _Frankly, My Dear, I don't give a damn_.

Chuck was blinking rapidly, watching the television with something close to outrage written on his face.

As the scene faded to black, he raised me off of him and ran his hand through his hair, clearly distressed. " That's it ?" He asked, his voice higher than normal. " That's how it ends ? They don't end up together ? He just leaves her like that ?"

I laughed finally, unable to contain myself any longer. I had found much more enjoyment in watching him experiencing the movie for the first time than I ever would have watching it myself.

I hadn't expected him to become so engrossed, so enthralled.

" Yes, that's it. That's all there is." I told him.

" Well, that's ridiculous. How could he just take off like that ?" He demanded, jumping from the bed and taking the DVD from the player. " He had to know that he won't ever be able to live without her."

I nearly gasped in shock. Chuck was a romantic. Where the hell had he been hiding that all these years?

" But she pushed him as far as she could. There comes a point when the best thing you can do, for your own survival is to walk away." I explained.

" But it's him and it's her and they can't be who they really are without the other one. It's just a lie, just passing time." He babbled, clearly upset.

" I don't understand. She was Scarlet before she met him. He was Rhett before he met her. They can exist without the other one. It is possible. They might not be happy, but they can exist. And eventually they'll move on and find someone else that makes them just as happy." I argued, though how I ended up on this side of the argument was beyond me. Normally, I'm the romantic, idealistic one in the group.

" No," he protested vehemently. " They aren't who they really are without the other one. Without her, his just a deadbeat, scoundrel that's always in trouble. She makes him want to be better than that. Without him, she's just a spoiled, self-serving princess that's never happy no matter what. He makes her see that the world is bigger than her. That caring about someone is more important than herself."

I gapped. My mouth was hanging opened and I was staring at him like he had just admitted to being an alien or killing J.F.K. Or something equally as mind shattering.

" Are you on your period or something ?" I asked, not even realizing I was talking out loud. I was just so taken aback by this man that never showed any real emotions other than hate and lust, I had no idea what of think of this insightful, fanatical, deeply impassioned person in front of me.

He shot me a hateful glare, then turned to the library of movies on the shelf. " I'm picking the next one. I think I saw Rambo here somewhere."

I jumped up and went to touch his shoulder. " I'm sorry. I just wasn't expecting that reaction from you."

" Well, maybe there's more to me than you think." He muttered, still hurt at my outburst.

" You picked that one. It was your idea. I get to pick the next one. It's only fair. Besides I am not sitting through Rambo." I told him as I shoved him out of the way.  
" I'm not sitting through another movie like that one." He argued, shoving me back.

" We'll just have to agree on one then." I answered, sounding perfectly reasonable as I shoved him again.

He returned my shove with a little more force than he meant to and I nearly toppled over as his hip connected with mine. He grabbed for me, and stepped forward as he tried to catch me, but somehow our feet got tangle up together and we fell backwards onto the bed in a heap.

He managed to shift at the last moment and I landed squarely in the middle of his chest with a humph.

I heard all the air go out of his lungs as my body came full force down on him. His arms were wrapped around me, shielding me against the fall.

When I finally managed to get my bearings I found myself inches away from his lips and staring straight into his startled eyes.

I was frozen and so was he, neither of us knowing exactly what to do next. For a moment, all I could think about was how wonderful his arms felt. How much I loved the feel of his breath skating over his cheek as he struggled for air. How strong and solid and divine his chest felt as it moved against mine. I wanted to sink into him, to let myself fall into his kiss and his embrace and just him. I wanted to fall into him, to everything about him, to be surrounded by him.

But I held myself in check, having no idea where I found the strength. I pulled back and smiled down at the bemused look on his face. " How about I let you pick the movie as long as I get to approve it ?"

I struggled around until I was laying by his side and he finally smiled back at me. " It's a deal."

We argued over several titles until we finally both agreed on 'Titanic', another one he had never bothered to see.

We went through the same process with this one. The love scene made me nervous as I laid back against my human pillow and I swear I felt his hand twitch where it was resting at my waist. But again, he made no move. He just sat relaxed and still and watched the movie.

We got up once in the middle to pop some popcorn and grab sodas, but other than that, neither of us budged until the huge ship sunk and Rose lost her love forever. I was beginning to see a pattern emerging. Was it our subconscious trying to tell us something that both movies we picked were deeply romantic and both turned out badly ?

At the end, as Jack drifted out of her hands and faded into the icy waters, Chuck abruptly sat up and snatched the television off. Then he ran his hands through his hair roughly. " What the hell are you trying to do to me ?" He demanded, turning his gaze on me sharply. This time I knew I saw the signs of moisture in the corners of his eyes.

But then, what kind of person can watch Titanic and not be emotionally effected by it ? I remembered when Nate took me to see it. He was crying nearly as much as I was by the end.

" I'm not doing anything to you." I answered. " You picked both of the movies. Not me."

He huffed and tossed the remote on the bed. " I think I'm done with the movies for tonight." He announced testily.

" Oh, come on," I pleaded. " Don't be like that. Let me try this time. Just one more then we can go to bed. I promise I will pick one that will restore your faith in movie romance."

He laughed. Well, more like chuckled, but I was glad to see he wasn't really upset.

I scanned the titles in front of me until one in particular jumped out and I stopped on the spot. It was perfect. A romance to end all romances. A love story that prevails against all the odds. Sword fights and pirates, kidnappers and torture. A fight to the end and good triumphing over evil. If there was ever a movie to lift one's spirits and reaffirm their faith in love, it was this movie, to be sure.

I slipped ' The Princess Bride' into the player and settled back in my spot against him.

" You'll like it, I promise." I whispered as the tale began.

We were both completely transfixed by the screen. It had been years since I'd seen the movie and I fell in love with it all over again as each scene played out.

_As you wish_

_Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die._

_Good night, Westley, Good work, sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning_. Chuck found this line particularly hilarious.

_Inconceivable !_Another of Chuck's favorites. The entire scene between Westley and Vizzini drinking poisoned wine made him laugh out loud.

He clutched me tightly as Buttercup and Westley struggled through the forest and fought off the R.O.U.S.. He grabbed me again as Westley plunged into the quicksand to save her.

He tensed as Prince Humperdinck and Count Rugen snatched her away from his side.

He sat up straighter as Buttercup announced to the Prince. _Westley and I are joined by the bonds of love. And you cannot not track that, not with a thousand bloodhounds. And you cannot break it, not with a thousand swords. _

He eyed my suspiciously when it was announced that Westley was dead. But laughed uproariously when Miracle Max waved the heroes on their way, telling them cheerfully, _Goodbye, Boys. Have fun storming the castle. _

But the last part of the movie, the climatic scene between Prince Humperdinck and Westley, quieted him completely and he watched with his shoulders tense and his mouth agape as Westley told the smug Prince, _To the pain means the first things you'll lose are feet below the ankles. Then your hands at the wrists. Next, your nose. _

Prince Humperdinck looked bored as he commented, _Next, I suppose will be my tongue. I killed you too quickly last time, a mistake I don't wish to duplicate tonight. _

Chuck grabbed me as the scene intensified.

Westley shifted slightly on his bed as he continued, _I wasn't finished, the next thing you'll lose will be your left eye, followed by your right. _

The Prince waved his sword at him impatiently. _And then my ears, I understand. Let's get on with it. _

Chuck jumped slightly as Westley shouted, _Wrong ! Your ears you keep and I'll tell you why. So that every shriek from every child at seeing your hideousness will be yours to cherish. Every babe that weeps at your approach, every woman who cries out " Dear God ! What is that thing !" will echo in your perfect ears. To the pain means I leave you in anguish, wallowing in freakish misery forever. _

" I have got to remember that speech." Chuck muttered as he continued to watch without blinking.

The Prince looked unsure but shrugged and uttered, _I think your bluffing._

Westley shrugged in return, _It's possible, Pig. I might be bluffing. It's conceivable, you miserable __vomitous mass that I'm only laying here because I lack the strength to stand. But then again_..._perhaps I have the strength after all. _

As Westley slowly rose and pointed his sword at the Prince, Chuck's hand gripped mine so tightly it was nearly painful as Westley said, _DROP...YOUR.....SWORD._

I heard him gasp as the words rang out in the quiet room.

When the credits rolled he turned to look at me intently. " That was the best movie I've ever seen." He whispered so quietly I nearly didn't hear him.

I just nodded and smiled at him.

" That last scene. Oh my God !" He exclaimed. He was like a child suddenly, no longer brooding and World-wise. He had a look of wonder and innocence on his face that I had never seen there before.

" Okay." I announced. " Now I know you've turned into a girl."

He picked up his pillow and threw it at me.


	7. Chapter 7

I woke slowly the next morning, wondering why it was still so dark. I'd felt like I'd been asleep forever, yet somehow there wasn't even the faintest sliver of light anywhere. I also knew I wasn't in my bed. This bed was lumpy and uncomfortable and my body hurt all over from laying in it for far too long.

I needed to get up. I needed to stretch in an attempt to ease some of my discomfort, but something was holding me down, keeping me from being able to move. I grabbed at my waist where the binding was stretched over me, and I realized it was an arm.

Panic gripped me and I began to thrash around, trying to break free. I kicked out with my legs and heard a groan as my captive rolled off me and hit the floor with a loud thump.

I scrambled from the bed now that I was free and stumbled in the unfamiliar surroundings, falling to the floor myself in my haste to escape.

" Blair," Chuck's voice rang out in the darkness and I stilled instantly as I suddenly remember where I was and what was happening to me.

" Blair, are you alright ?" He called again when I didn't answer him.

" I'm fine." I mumbled as I struggled to a sitting position on the floor.

" I guess we should have left a light on or something." He grumbled as the bed shifted where it was resting against my back.

" Yeah, I guess we should have." I agreed, clutching my throbbing head, which I had hit on the side of the bed when I fell. " I'm sorry I kicked you. Are you okay ?"

He groaned again, quietly this time and I felt his hand brush my shoulder. " I'm fine since I wasn't planning on having children in the near future."

" Oh," I mumbled, not realizing before that I had accidentally kicked him THERE.

" You can be pretty feisty when you need to be." He chuckled.

" I didn't know it was you." I tried again to apologize.

His hand connected with my shoulder again, but this time it just rested there. " Would it have made any difference ?" He asked quietly.

" Of course, I wouldn't have kicked you had I known it was you."

" I'm sorry I was on your side of the bed. I didn't do it on purpose. I must've rolled over in my sleep. Are you sure you're okay ?"

" Yeah, I'm fine, since I wasn't planning on thinking in the near future." I muttered under my breath.

I heard him move abruptly and I assumed he sat up. " You hit your head ?"

The next thing I knew he was dragging me from the floor and easing me back onto the bed. " It's not bad. Not even a bump." I protested.

I felt his arm come around me as he leaned in close. I tensed automatically as the familiar electricity shot through me and the desire to feel his lips nearly smothered me.

He was leaning closer still, so near I could feel his heart thumping against my chest. I wet my lips instinctively and forgot to think about how I would react after he kissed me, I was too busy anticipating the kiss itself.

Just as I thought I could almost feel his lips brushing tentatively against mine, I heard a soft click and the room was flooded in a yellowish diffused light from the low wattage lamp we had found and put beside the bed.

I leaned back quickly as I realized I was sitting there like an idiot with my back arched into him and my head tilted towards his face. I also clamped my parted lips shut. God I must have looked like an idiot.

He hadn't been about to kiss me. He was just groping for the lamp in the dark.

His eyebrows quirked up at me questioningly and I knew he hadn't missed my fumble. " You sure you're okay ?" He prompted.

" I'm fine. Like I said, it isn't bad."

I started to get up, trying to untangle myself and escape the room before I could get anymore embarrassed..

But he caught my wrist and held me steady before I could get too far. " What the hell was that all about?" His voice was quiet with just an edge of something else to it.

" All what ?" I pretended like I didn't know what he was talking about.

" You know very well what." He said, closer to me.

I glanced down at his hand still holding mine and it felt like a knife being driven into my side as I looked back up at him. " Let me go."

" Talk to me first." He demanded.

" I just thought ...." I started off, but I had no idea where to go from there, so I cleared my throat and started again. " It doesn't matter what thought. I was wrong. Now I'm going to the bathroom."

Then I wrenched my hand from his and fled, shutting the door behind me.

The rest of the space was frigid and I wanted nothing more than to return as quickly as possible to the warmth of the bedroom, but I knew that was impossible now. I knew all the progress we had made the night before was gone. Gone with one silly, stupid little mistake. When he finally emerged from the room, there would be awkwardness and discomfort and neither of us would know what to say to the other.

All because I thought he was about to kiss me.

And what would have happened if he had ? Would I have fallen into his arms and pulled him back down to the bed ? Would I have eventually found the strength to pull away and somehow summoned the anger that I knew I should have felt ?

I heard the bedroom open and I glanced around at him. But he didn't look up or even paused as he crossed the hall and shut the bathroom door behind him.

I went to the fridge and pulled out the ingredients I needed to make a descent breakfast. I decided not to turn back around when I heard the door open again a few minutes later. I still steadfastly refused to budge when his footsteps came up behind me and or when I felt him so close to me, I could smell the scent of mouthwash in the air.

I cleared my throat and went about my business, cracking eggs into a bowl to scramble.

Suddenly, there was an hand covering my wrist and I dropped the whisk an instant before I felt myself being turned towards him.

I gasped at the look of heat and desire in his eyes as he grabbed me to him and surrounded me with his arms. Then he was kissing me and it was beautiful and delicious. His luscious lips caressed mine so softly and insistently I couldn't think of anything besides him.

I moaned into him as his tongue flicked over the roof of my mouth and grazed across my own tongue.

He sighed audibly as I let myself relax and sink into the feel of his body, so strong and sturdy against mine.

When he was done, he pulled back and his normal, wolfish grin was firmly in place as he stepped away from me, leaving me leaning against the counter to keep my balance.

I realized suddenly that I had really, really missed that grin.

" Now that, THAT is out of the way," He drawled, his smug, confident, low whisper back, "What's for breakfast ?"

I stared at him completely dumbfounded as he leaned casually back against the counter as if nothing had happened and folded his long arms over his chest.

" What the fuck ?" I hissed when I realized he wasn't going to say anything else about what had just happened.

He turned, leaving his hip still against the counter and his smile still in place. " That was what you wanted. I saw it in your eyes in the bedroom. It's what you thought was going to happen." He moved closer still and touched the hair that was brushing my shoulder. " It's okay, Blair. It's what I've been wanting to do since I woke up down here with you in my arms."

I stopped watching his eyes at some point and started concentrating on his lips instead. I eyed them intently as they moved over every word that left his mouth. All I could think about was how wonderful they felt pressed against my own.

I glanced up as they stopped moving and sat still, slightly parted and a rosy pink color, so full and supple, so amazingly strong, with just the least bit of stumble surrounding them. I remembered all the things those lips could do to me, how they could make me feel. Their slick, sleek moisture gliding over me, pressing against all the perfect places that only Chuck could find. The way they formed the filthy, degrading, disgusting things that he muttered against my ear in the throes of passion. Things that turned my insides to goo and my whole being vibrate with wanting him. The perfectly shaped 'o' they made as his eyes light up right before he...

" Blair," His lips moved again, pulling me from my thoughts and back to the rest of the man beside me. " What is going on in that beautiful brain of yours ? Didn't you just tell me you weren't planning on thinking in the near future ? " He purred as he closed the distance between us.

_But it was really good thinking_, I answered slightly, as I watched him move.

His hand came up to brush the hair from my shoulder again. And his fingers caught my attention next. Long, thick fingers that could make me shiver with just the barest brush from them. Soft and untouched by any sort of manual labor, his hands could glide over my skin so smoothly, so soothingly and the next instant they were digging into my flesh causing me to nearly gasp out loud at their almost bruising pressure. The way the palms of them held my breasts as his thumbs flicked over my nipples. The way the fingers splayed over my flesh as if he were trying to feel as much of me as he could at one time. The way they worshiped my body, hugging the curve of my hip, the bend of my leg, my roundness of my shoulder. It was like every one of my curves was made to fit perfectly into those hands. The places his fingers found, places no one else had ever touched, places that made my entire body coil like a spring ready to snap from the pressure they caused.

He was so close, yet he remained completely still, giving me all the opportunity I wanted to devour him with my gaze. And I was.

His pupils were large, dilated with desire and smoldering under dark lashes and his thick eyebrow. The color whirled in his eyes, a deep brown mixed with what looked like liquid gold. I had the silly thought that if I could touch their color it would feel velvety and lush, something heavy and so soft, like mink perhaps.

His cheeks were slightly flushed, mingling with his light skin tone and turning it a pleasant pinkish, creamy color. His hair was unkempt and unruly, the way I liked it. It was better this way, instead of all perfectly in place and behaved. Like this I could imagine that I was to blame for its dishevel. My fingers twitched involuntarily with the need to feel its amazing softness, softness that caressed my fingertips, entwining them in its decadent chocolaty perfection. I had grown longer over the last year. A changed that definitely suited him, as I spied a few wisps of brown falling nearly to his brow line.

It took me a moment to realize that it was my finger that came into view, tracing over that brow, then down the side of his face over his cheekbone, a cheekbone some women would kill for, high and arched. Another bit of excellence in his already nearly too sublime face.

" Chuck," It was a whisper and it startled me. I was so lost I hadn't even realized I was the one speaking.

" What ?" His breath caressed my cheek. " Tell me what you want, Blair."

" I..." I hesitated, the warning alarms in my brain were so loud they nearly drowned out the desire screaming at me.

" I'm doing what you asked. I'm not giving you the option of blaming me later. I'm not touching you unless you tell me its what you want." He told me, his tone firm, yet soft.

I considered his words carefully. He was right. If I gave in and let him touch me like this, I would regret it later and I would take that regret at my weakness out on him. This way he was taking that escape route away from me.

Typical Bass, I smiled, covering his bases. Making sure I knew exactly what I was doing. Giving me no way out.

He was the snake in the Garden of Eden, so very, very tempting yet leaving the choice to me.

Do I take the apple and bite or walk away and hang on to my sanity, my survival ?

Well, it was me. It was me and it was Chuck and I did the only thing I had every done under the same circumstances.

I grabbed the front of his shirt, hauled him closer into me with all my strength and sank my teeth into the forbidden fruit.


	8. Chapter 8

All the air rushed out of my lunges in one loud sigh as soon as I made the choice, it was like an incredible pressure was pushing me down, making me feel weighted and heavy. In the endless, strained moments before I kissed him, I felt like I couldn't breath, like there was a binding around my chest. But as soon as I grabbed him, the instant I felt his lips brushing mine, I knew if it wasn't for his hands encircling me completely, I could have flown.

He felt so warm and tasted so good, so familiar, so right. I couldn't think straight.

As his hands slide down my sides, grazing over each rib until they rested at my hips, I felt the accustomed tingle run up my spine. His mouth covered mine, tongue gliding over tongue and teeth gnashing together like we were trying to devour each other.

I tried to get to his throat, but the material of his old, ratty t-shirt was in the way. (As if the garment wasn't offensive enough without adding its inability to move to its sins. ) My fingers tugged at his collar as my teeth nipped at his skin.

He gave a sharp hiss when I found the spot right under his ear, his secret spot, the one spot on Chuck's body that could drive him senseless in a matter of moments. Sometimes when he wasn't watching, I found myself staring at that particular spot, remembering how I could make him instantly rock hard just by blowing my breath against it.

At the moment I was doing far more than that. I slid my tongue over the place first, then I attached my lips to his skin and started sucking as hard as I could.

I ground his groin against mine, whether to show me how aroused I was making him or just for the sheer pleasure of the contact, I didn't know. But either way, he was griding into me so hard it was nearly painful.

His breath was coming out in heavy, vocal pants now, each one gusting over my flesh and raising goosebumps over me.

I moved from his neck to take his earlobe between my teeth and he hissed again when I bite down on it gently.

Chuck had a thing about his ears. Everything I did to them caused a jolt a electricity through him. I had found it out quickly, in the back of his limo actually. It was something I never forgot. A weapon in my 'Bass' arsenal. Who says knowledge isn't power ?

Still, he had never quite reacted as intensely as he was right then. He was so volatile, so uncontrolled. It wasn't like him. Even during sex, Chuck was not one to be so unbridled and out of control. I realized once, not long after we started our affair that it was another way for Chuck to remain secure and safe. Letting your partner know exactly what they do to you was admitting a weakness, at least in his eyes. It was letting them know that they had a bit of power of him. He would never openly admit to that.

But he was practically writhing in my arms. His hand, buried deeply in my hair, pulled my head back so he could get access to my neck. His tongue lathed at my throat, tasting me but at an almost frenzied pace. His other hand was tugging at the bottom of my shirt, trying to raise it over my hips. He had me practically bent backwards over the counter, his entire weight pressing on me, holding me in place. I pushed away from the counter, rubbing against his lower body as I did, to give him a better shot at his goal.

When my thigh nudged against his hardness, I was startled to find him that ready, already.

Again it wasn't like him. Not to say that he was slow to come around, but normally he had more control than that. In fact, I wasn't sure I'd ever felt him that ready.

Something was different this time with him, but as his tongue slithered along my collarbone, I was finding it hard to concentrate on what it was.

I managed to get my hands under the hem of his shirt and he gasped into my mouth when they met with his bare chest. At the same moment, he was moving my shirt over my waist, bunching it up under my arms so he could reach my breasts unhindered.

The second the cold air of the room hit my skin, I shivered and pulled closer into him, trying to stave off the chill. Obviously, he understood what was wrong because he dropped my shirt and pulled back from me.

He paused for a moment, barely enough room for air between us and just stared at me. I didn't know what he was thinking or what he was doing, my hands were becoming impatient for him to get back against me and I started to pull at his shoulders, wanting his mouth back on me, his hands back on me.

" Chuck," I whimpered as I snuggled into his chest.

My voice pulled him out of where ever he was and he suddenly stooped down and caught me behind the knees, launching me off the floor and into his arms.

I grabbed onto his shoulders and held on as he moved us back into the bedroom.

No one had ever carried me off to bed before, not even the man that was doing it now. I remembered Rhett grabbing Scarlet into his arms and plunging up the grand staircase in the movie the night before. I remember Westley hefting Buttercup into his embrace as well.

As we entered the room I refused to let go of him when he tried to put me on the bed and pull away. Instead, I just dragged him down with him, causing him to stumble against the side of the mattress and nearly fall on top of me.

He settled there, his body resting between my thighs, the weight of his chest pressing into mine.

" Are you really sure about this ?" He asked, as he cupped my breast through my shirt.

I didn't answer, couldn't answer. I remembered our first time in the limo, when he had asked me the same question. And I nodded quietly as I took hold of his empty hand and guided it to my other breast.

His thumb racked over my hardened nipples and I arched my back into him, even as my arms came around him and pulled him further on top of me. I wanted him close. I wanted to be so close to him I could drowned in him.

I felt like I'd spent months battling against the one thing I wanted more than anything else and finally I was laying down arms and accepting my surrender.

Sometimes, surrender was a good thing, indeed.

His mouth found mine, tasting, prodding with his tongue, smashing my lips with the power of his passion. I clutched at his shoulders, still furious with the disgusting t-shirt that kept me from feeling his warm skin.

Finally when I couldn't take it anymore, I pushed him away, dragging his reluctant body off mine. And as soon as there was enough room separating us, I grabbed the damned thing and hauled over his head, casting it to a far corner of the room.

He smiled down at me from his position, kneeling above me. His eyes were dark, narrowed and smoldering. This was the Chuck I loved, the one I needed. The one in control and all smug self-confidence.

He reached down and snatched me up, pulling me into a sitting position and yanking the shirt from my waist.

When we were both free from the binding of our clothes, I dropped back to the bed and brought him with me, causing him to fall forward with a grunt. The only thing keeping him from crushing me was his quick movement in putting his hands on either side of my head to stop himself.

His mouth was back on mine, plundering, demanding. I welcomed his tongue into my mouth and started to suck on it feverishly.

" God, Blair," He whispered as he dipped his head to my chest. " You have no idea what you do to me."

Feeling bolder than I normally do sexually, I reached down to his hardness and circled my hand around it. Then I squeezed and he bucked into me. " I think I do."

I squeezed him again, letting my hand run up his length as he took my breast into his mouth. When I flicked my thumb over the head, his head fell back and he groaned. Then he looked down at me with darkened eyes. " You are playing a dangerous game." He warned. " It's been too long."

" Too long ?" I rolled my eyes. " I saw the skank you were with just last week. That isn't that long, Bass."

He grabbed my waist and lifted my hips slightly, pulling out of my hand and settling himself poised at my entrance.

Then he leaned forward and kissed me. " No," he whispered against my lips. " It's been too long since I've had you."

Then he was inside me, pushing in to the hilt and not stopping till hit bottom. I arched my hips up, allowing him every inch he could garner. But once there, he stilled, even his chest stopped heaving as he held his breath.

" Don't move." He ground out between his teeth when I started to twitch my hips.

I swallowed hard as he stared into my face, his a study of concentration as he fought against his instincts and his body's need.

" No one has ever felt as good as you." He told me sincerely as he continued to just rest there, sheathed as deeply inside me as he could possibly get.

" Chuck," I whimpered finding it hard to control my own instincts as well.

Then I felt my inner muscles roll along his length, twitching against him.

He tensed and his eyes rolled back, and finally he pulled out of me, only to immediately plunge back in.

The rhythm he set for us was slow and powerful. Every thrust ripped another groan from both our lips. I could barely draw in a breath as he pulled out of me with an agonizing slowness, then stabbed back into me with a force that took my breath again. He was relentless, punishing in his passion. I grasped at his shoulders, trying to keep myself steady against his attack. His eyes stayed locked with mine the entire time. Watching every emotion that played over my face.

This was Chuck. This was who we were, almost painful in the power of our lust, bruising with the weight of our need. The first time he had been gentle. I couldn't have asked for a more patient, attentive lover, accept perhaps Nate. Nate who was always so careful, so tame, so controlled.

After the first time, Chuck had never been any of those things. Although I always felt like he was holding something back from me, he never treated me like porcelain, never made me feel as if he thought I was about to break He pushed me, pushed us both to our limits. And I loved him for it.

I had to be perfect out there, where the world could see me, but here, wrapped in his arms I could allow myself to be just as wanton and unbridled as I wanted to be. Here, I was free and I was safe. He would never judge me for any display of passion or need that I felt like showing him. No, he wouldn't think less of me, he would take it all in and give it back to me tenfold.

I used the leverage of my legs wrapped around his waist to fling my hips up, sinking him back into me the next time he tried to pull so far away. Telling him without words that I was done with slow and deliberate. He took the hint and began to dive into me so hard and fast I sank my nails into his shoulders to hold on.

Tightening my legs around him, I pulled him deeper and ground myself into him as hard as I could. His arms shook from the pressure of holding his body weight off me and suddenly he shifted and I found myself sitting over him, yet somehow he had managed to never slip from inside me.

I gasped at the new sensation our change of position caused. Then I was the one leaning over him as I sought out of his mouth again.

His hands rested on my hips, helping to guide my movements as I started to grind against him. Again I thought of Nate for some reason. Nate was a control freak during sex. Always wanting to control the pace, decide the tempo. And it was nearly always a steady, slow lingering one. Chuck was not like that at all. He was perfectly happily to simply lay back and let me lead the dance to whatever tempo I set forth.

The one I initiated was not slow or lingering. It was hard and fast and dizzying. I sat back up, and started to ride him. His hands covered my breasts and squeezed them as he continued to watch me closely.

When I started to change pace and began to circle my hips over his erection, pulling him in and keeping him there as I used the friction of my movements, he grabbed my shoulders and hauled me down to his chest. Then he planted his feet on the bed, and began to raise his hips up, thrusting his hardness inside me in a frenzy.

Oh, Fuck ! Was all I could think and he looked pleased as I realized I'd yelled it out loud.

" Such language," He tsked at me as he somehow managed to keep up the relentless pace.

I leaned back slightly so I could see his face and dragged the hair that was plastered on my cheek with sweat out of my face so I could see him fully. Then I sat up, throwing him off guard and grabbed hold of the headboard behind him. As I continued to watch him, I drove myself down, reaching new depths than we had before.

His entire body jerked and his eyes clenched shut as he yelled, " Oh, Fuck!" to the ceiling.

" That's what I thought." I told him with a smug smirk.

He grabbed my hips again, but this time more to just hold to than to guide me. He was smiling as his head fell back and his eyes closed again, " That's my Blair, always has to have to upper hand."

I stumbled in my movements. ' His Blair' ? Since when was I his Blair. He had never called me anything like that before. It surprised me and I tried to still above him, but he wasn't having any of it.

He was too far gone to pay attention to my change in composure. It was too late for words or thinking too much.

His hand moved from my hip and found the tight bundle of nerves already throbbing between my legs. As I continued to thrust onto him, he started to circle his fingers over me, adding to the stimulation and sending the thoughts plummeting from my brain.

Stars flashed behind my tightly closed eyes and I heard myself whimpering.

Then I fell, over the cliff and onto his chest as everything inside me explored all at once. I felt my muscles clenching around him, smothering him in their vise-like grip and he yelled and grabbed my shoulders, pushing me down onto him as he tensed entirely and spilled himself into me.

What felt like hours later, but couldn't have been as our chests were still heaving and our hearts still pounding out of control, I shifted. I planned on moving to his side, but he grabbed me with what strength he had left and held me tightly.

" Don't." He panted simply.

I stilled in his arms and continued to lay there over him like a sack of flour, boneless and utterly relaxed.

As our pulses began to take on a more normal rhythm, I tried to shift again, the sweat covering us both made it feel as if we had just been in a rainstorm. The chill in the air, despite the pitiful little heater was biting into my bare back and I wanted the blankets.

He mistook my attentions and tightened his arms again. " Just a little longer." His voice was quiet and almost pleading.

" I just want the blankets." I reassured him. " I'm not going anywhere."

He nodded and let me go long enough to grab the covered from beside us and cover us both with them.

Then his arms encircled me again and he stilled.

" So what happens now ?" He asked after an eternity of silence.

" What do you mean ?" I wanted to know, lifting my head enough to see his face.

" I mean," He shifted me finally and cradled me in the croak of his arm so I could see into his face. "Where do we go from here ?"

I swallowed hard, afraid of what his next words would be. " Where do you want us to go ?" I asked nervously. I didn't want to lose him again. I wanted him. I wanted every part of him. I wanted him to love me again.

His eyes got a far away look as he focused on something vague over my shoulder. " I've tried drugs. I've tried liquor. I've tried other women. Hell, I've tried several women at one time even. Still, I can't make this thing go away." He answered after a few moments to gather his thoughts.

" What thing ?"

" This thing I feel for you. The butterflies, as you called them. When you're around I can't eat. I can't sleep. All I can think about is you and the way you feel in my arms." He told me.

I decided, for some unknown reason to try to lighten the mood. I wasn't sure I was ready for this heart-to-heart we were embarking on. For the moment I just wanted to be with him without all the uncertainty and confusion. So I smiled up at him and pursed my lips. " You like me." I teased him.

" Define like." He responded, mimicking our conversation from a year earlier when we had first talked about the butterflies I inspired in him.

" You want to kiss me again." I offered.

" No," he nodded. " I want to do far more than that." He wiggled his eyebrows. " But it's a start." Then his face turned serious again and he shifted his eyes to the ceiling this time. " I never thought I would have this."

" Have what ?" I ran my finger in small circles over his chest.

He cleared his throat a little and refused to look at me as he spoke. " What you and Nate had. What Serena and Brooklyn seemed to have found. I just never guessed that somewhere out there was someone perfectly suited for me. I certainly wouldn't have thought it was the girl I used to have food fights with." I tensed beside him. And knew he could tell because he held me tighter but still wouldn't look at me. " I remember one time in grade school, your mother called my father, yelling at him because you came home from school crying because I was being mean to you and pulling your hair. My father sat me down and told me that when boys are mean to little girls and pull their hair its because they like them. I informed him very quickly that I did not like you. I was, in fact, certain you had cooties. He just smiled and told me that one day, those cooties would seem like the most important things in the world." He chuckled. " I had no idea what he was talking about at the time. We were like five then, maybe younger. Then when Nate decided a couple years later that your cooties weren't so bad. I thought he was insane." I lost myself in his voice. Chuck wasn't normally one for long speeches but this one felt like it was leading up to something big and as I laid there, nestled into his chest with his arm like a vise holding me to him, I hung on every word. " I don't know why I can't seem to move away from you, but every time I try, you somehow manage to pull me back in. You don't even have to try. I've done everything I could to make you hate me. Given you every reason to run from me. And then something happens and there you are again, back by my side like nothing happened." He shifted slightly as I brought my leg over his and let it rest there. " It was my father's fault that I ditched you last summer." He admitted. " I was all ready to go. It was everything I wanted. I felt like a kid on his way to Disney World. Then I talked to him and he scared the hell out of me. Told me that after that summer I'd never be the same. I'd grow up and learn to be responsible and mature." He grew quiet and started to fidget. Then he finally looked down at me and his face was solemn. " I'm so sorry I never came. I just wasn't ready."

" I underst-" I started to say, but he cut me off with a finger against my lips.

" I'm not done. Just bare with me a few more minutes. This isn't easy for me." He told me.

I nodded in agreement and bit my bottom lip as he turned his face back to the ceiling.

" I wasn't ready then, but I am now." He took a deep breath, lifting me slightly with the force of it. Then he turned back to me. " I can never make up all the things I've done to you, all the things I've said to you. Everything I've done that's hurt you. You have no idea what remembering it all does to me." He put his finger back to my lips again as I started to protest. " It kills me to know I've hurt you so badly because I love you."

I was shocked, speechless. All we'd been through over those few simple words and here he was, just blurting them out like it was nothing. I ignored his finger and pushed myself up to kiss him.

" I love you, too, Chuck. Always have, always will." I told him when I settled back into his arms.


	9. Chapter 9

" Do you know what today is out there in the real world ?" I asked with my back against the oven door so he couldn't see inside it. There wasn't much I could do about the smell though and I noticed him casually sniffing the pungent aroma that filled the air.

" No," he smiled. " How do you know what day it is either ?"

He came up to me and laced his arms around my waist as he kissed me.

" Well, I'm guessing. We've slept twice since we got here. So that would mean we've been here two days. So two days from the night of your party would have been...." I was leading him, hoping he would arrive at the right destination all on his own.

" Your birthday is in November. So I know that isn't it. Our first time together was the eighth of November. So that isn't it."

I stopped him with a kiss. " I can't believe you remember the date of the first time we had sex." I said, running my fingers through his hair. " That's so sweet."

He leaned in and kissed me again. " I remember everything about that night. Every little detail. My birthday is in June, so again, can't be that. It wouldn't be this damned cold."

He was teasing me. I could tell by the glint in his eyes. I batted his shoulder and stepped back a little and he gave me his signature smile. " Okay, so I know what day it is. Are you planning something ?"

" Do I have a reason to plan something on Valentine's Day ?" I asked, innocently as I turned back to the stove.

His arms snaked around me again. " What are you cooking up, Waldorf ?"

" Wouldn't you like to know, Bass." I answered.

" Actually, What I'd like," He licked my earlobe. " is for you to stop insisting on wearing clothing and come with me back to the bedroom."

I pushed my elbow into him just hard enough to get him to back away. " I'll be back soon. I promise. But it's my night to cook and I can't just let us starve. We have to keep our strength up."

He stepped back and went to lean against the other counter. " I've been thinking about this whole Valentine's day thing actually. Normally, I would be lavishing you with diamonds and spiriting you away somewhere special in my private jet." He sighed and shrugged hopelessly. " But since my sources are somewhat limited it means I've had to think outside the box."

I couldn't contain my smile. " So you are planning something ?"

" Of course I'm planning something. This is me. You didn't think I'd forget, did you ? I know this is my first Valentine's with an honest to goodness or badness, whichever the case my be, girlfriend. But I have seen this done. I've watched Nate do it several times, in fact. And I've seen movies."

I crossed the small space and put my head against his chest, hugging him tightly. " You don't have to do it just because Nate always did. You aren't him. If I wanted him, I'd be with him right now. I want you."

" Why ?" He asked after a minute of silence.

I raised my head and looked at him like he had gone crazy. " What ?"

He shrugged again. " Why do you want me ? I don't understand."

" Because I love you, you idiot." I answered.

He shrugged yet again. " And again I say, why ?"

I pulled away from him and rolled my eyes. " What are you looking for here, Bass ? A little ego stroke. Cause I'm sure I could find better places to stroke."

He quirked his eyebrow at me in that devastatingly sexy way that made me wonder why I insisted that we wear clothes as well. " We are so going to revisit this conversation in a moment. But first I really want to know. After everything, how can you still love me ?"

" Because I know you." I answered.

" Even more reason for you to have some serious psychological tests done as soon as possible." He told me, resting his hands on the counter beside him and propping one foot over the other.

" Do you really think that you are so unlovable no one could possibly care so much about you ?" I asked him, turning back to my dinner to keep it from burning. I stirred a pot and flipped some food before turning back to him when he chose not to answer.

Then I saw it. It was written all over his face. Of course that was what he thought. I went to him and grabbed both his hands in mine. " I love you because you're the guy that would sacrifice his most priced, irreplaceable baseball to help a friend in trouble." He smiled at that. " I love you because you're the one in our little circle that would move mountains in an instant if any one of us needed you to. I love you because you're ferociously loyal to the people you allow to share your life. You would do anything, and I mean anything, no matter how unthinkable, for your friends. I love you because I know that deep down, under all that cold, calculating, evil exterior there is a good person. I know it because I've seen it with my own eyes. You were the one, Chuck. You were the one that stood by Serena's side through all the craziness. When he found her drunk and puking, even after Nate and I had had our fill of her, you were there holding her hair and hosing her off. You never let her fall on her own."

" Everybody hates me." He commented dryly.

" No we don't. None of us hates you. Do you think a guy like Nate would hang around a guy that he couldn't stand ? Even Serena doesn't hate you as much as she lets on. You are part of us. You're the disgusting, demoralizing, break all the rules, one of us. But that's why we like you."

" Sometimes I just feel like the only reason you guys are all still around me is out of habit or something. We've all been together so long. I'm not sure of my place in the circle sometimes." He admitted.

" Well, first off, you're usually our financial backing. That is an important role." He rolled his eyes and I kissed him quickly to let him know I wasn't finished. " But the fact that you have no inhibitions, no limits. That's good for us. We are the privileged, shelter kids. Without you, Nate would never know what it's like to smoke a joint."

" How is that a good thing ?" He laughed. " I've corrupted him."

" Yes, you have and your corruption of us is just what we all need. Otherwise all we'd be is cardboard cutout of our parents. Nate and I, at least, need the bit of darkness that you bring us. We'd never make it through life brought up the way we were. Not real life. And sooner or later, as you well know, real life comes at you, whether you want it to or not. You have helped prepare us for that more than you know."

" Okay, so now I'm Satan, visiting my own form of evil to your quiet little existences." He laughed again.

" No, not Satan. Though don't for a minute think that Nate doesn't envy you and live vicariously through you exploits." I laughed with him.

" You think ? He always seems so disproving." He muttered, distantly.

" And yet he hangs on every word. Listens intently to every detail." I said, sarcastically.

He shifted and drew me tighter into him. We were quiet for a while, just holding each other and thinking about what I'd said. Then suddenly he raised his head from where it was propped on top of my own and sniffed the air. " Whatever you're cooking, I think it's burning."

I noticed the smell and ran back to the stove to try to assess the damage.

" Stay out of the bedroom for a while." He called over his shoulder as he left the room.

" Okay, you stay out of the kitchen." I answered as I stirred frantically.

" It's a deal," he agreed. " Separate corners it is."

I knocked softly on the door to the bedroom an hour later when dinner was finally ready.

He answered it and pushed me out of the way, snatching the door closed before I had a chance to see inside.

" Don't I even get a peak ?" I asked as he took my hand and lead me away.  
" Not even a hint until after dinner." He shook his head.

I had set the table to the best of my limited ability. Stealing a couple of candles from the bathroom, I had them in the center of the table and they flickered with a warm yellowish glow that lite the space.

Dinner was steaks, a salad and steamed vegetables. A bottle of red wine that wasn't too awful and for dessert, a chocolate cake with chocolate icing and the words, 'I love you, Chuck' written over the center in red.

Chuck smiled as he spied it sitting on the counter. " I love you, too." He whispered as he leaned in to kiss me before holding out my chair for me.

Apparently the first time was the hardest, because I didn't seem all that difficult for him now. In fact, it was almost like he enjoyed hearing himself say it. He initiated the sentiment more often than I did.

" I've been thinking about when we get back home." I began as I started to eat and he poured us each a glass of wine.

" What about it ? You know that I have no intention of letting things go back to the way they were. I have you now. I'm not letting you go ever again." He said in such a matter-of-fact way, it was like he was telling me the colors in a rainbow. It was simple statement of fact and it broke no room for argument.

" I didn't think for a minute that they would. I was just thinking about all the people that will be so shocked when we're seen together all over town. Blair and Chuck. Chuck and Blair, a real life, out in the open couple."

He laughed quietly. " I'm sure we'll be all the rave on Gossip Girl. We'll make headlines for weeks."

" Well, " I took another bite. " That was actually what I was thinking about. You know how everyone always takes people names and puts them together when they post gossip. Like they do celebrities. I was trying to image what they would be calling us."

" Insane ?" He offered unhelpfully.

I rolled my eyes. " How about Bluck ?"

He laughed out loud around his wine glass. " Bluck ? It sounds like something you scrap off your shoe or something that oozes out of an infant. I will not be a part of a word like Bluck. Besides, isn't obvious what our names will be ?"

" I guess not." I laughed with him. " What do you think our name will be ?"

He reached across the table and took my hand in his warmer one. " Blair even our names merge well together. Of course, we will be known as 'Chair'."

" Chair," I let the name fall from my lips, testing it out. Then I watched as he brought my hand to his lips and kissed it softly. " This half of 'Chair' loves the other half of 'Chair' very much."

He chuckled and let my hand go. " This half of 'Chair' agrees. I love you."

I felt the now familiar shiver run up my spine. It did it every time he said the words. It was my body's involuntary response.

" Do I get to see my surprise yet ?" I asked merrily as I sipped at my wine again.

" Do I get to sample my deliciously wonderful smelling cake ?" He countered.

" After my surprise, you can have yours." I told him.

His eyes narrowed and he grinned at me. " I intend to sample my surprise until neither of us can move so much as an eyelid. And I'm not talking about the cake."

He stood up, blew out the candles on the table and held out his hand to me. I took it and joined him as he led me down the hall. Then he stopped right outside the door.

" Let me explain first." He said turning to me.

" It needs an explanation ?" I quirked my eyebrow at him.

" Possibly." He nodded.

That was the last thing he said before the lights went out and we were plunged into darkness. I heard movement towards the end of the hallway, coming from the impassible door. I grabbed Chuck's shoulder as he pulled me tightly in behind him and held me against his back. His hand gripped bruising into my waist, letting me know that no one was taking me away from him without a fight.

I wish it had been that simple. But the next thing I heard was a pop and Chuck fell forward in a limp heap at my feet.

I screamed, then another pop sounded in the blackness and I joined him on the floor.


	10. Chapter 10

I woke up in total darkness. I didn't how long I had been laying there, where I was or whether or not I was alone.

Nothing stirred around me. Nothing made a noise. There was no warm body laying against me. Just a great emptiness that seemed to absorb everything. My heartbeat and breath sounded so loud in the darkness I was almost afraid of the noise.

Reaching out a shaky hand, I tried to assess my surroundings. I had no idea whether I was in impending, immediate danger or not. Blinking my eyes did no good. There simply was absolutely no light that I could determine.

I realized I was laying on the floor, right beside the bedroom door, in exactly the same place that I had fallen. The memory of the moments before came back to me in a terrifying wave and I jerked around, frantically feeling all around the floor in search of Chuck.

I found nothing and the fear began to settle in my stomach like a heavy anchor pulling me down into immobility. I fought against it, told myself that he just woke before me and was somewhere in our little 'house'.

" Chuck !" I called out, praying with everything in me that he would answer.

But my pleas were met with no answer. I tried again and again, calling out until my voice was hoarse, but the end result remained the same.

Climbing to my feet was an effort. My head felt foggy and full of fluff, not painful as if I had hit it, but groggy as if I had had too much to drink.

I realized in my altered state that the bang I heard was probably some sort of tranquiler gun or something similar. A quick check of my arm reveled something oblong and needle-like sticking out from just below my shoulder. I plucked it out and dropped it to the floor as I felt around on the door until I found the knob.

Staggering, I opened the door and tried calling out once again. Again there was no answer. I stumbled to the bed and fumbled around until I found the lamp.

The light seemed far too bright, far brighter than it I had the night before and I blinked against the sudden change.

When I could focus again, I rose from the bed, still unsteady and off balance, and began to search the entire area.

I found nothing. Nothing was out of place, even our dinner plates were still scattered over the table, untouched. The scene was eerie, as if we had been plucked out of a moment in our lives and sat back down somewhere else.

Nothing was amiss, except two things, I noticed the refrigerator had been restocked with fresh milk, fruit and vegetables and there was no Chuck.

No Chuck, I didn't know what to do with that. I couldn't imagine being in the small confining space without him. I couldn't imagine being without him, period.

Terror filled me and I went to the couch and fell onto it in a heap. Then I started to cry.

A million thoughts buzzed through my mind all at once and I was completely incapable of figuring them all out. I managed to grasp hold of a few as they flew by and none of them were pleasant.

What if Lily had paid Chuck's ransom, but my mother hadn't paid mine ? What if Chuck had been taken somewhere else and he wasn't ever coming back ? What if I was completely unimportant to these people like Chuck said, so unimportant that they would leave me here to die alone ?

I shook my head to push the thoughts away. Of course my mother would pay the ransom if one had been asked for. And even if she wouldn't, my father certainly would. And if Chuck was free and I was still here, I knew without a doubt in my mind that he would never rest until he found me and set me free as well. He loved me. The memory of the sound of the words rang in my ears, filling me with at least some comfort. He loves me, I told myself over and over, repeating the words like a mantra as I got up and moved into the bedroom.

Another thought struck me as I reached for the door and it stopped me, holding me completely still and unable to move at all.

What if the kidnappers had taken Chuck somewhere and they were hurting him ? What if they had killed him because Lily refused to give them any money, or called the police ? I had seen enough movies to know how the kidnapping thing worked. Don't call the police or we'll kill your precious child. Do exactly as we say or we'll kill your precious child. Had Lily made a mistake that cost Chuck his life ?

I sank back to the floor and huddled against the door. I noticed offhandedly that I was laying in the exact place where I had woke up only a little bit before.

What was I supposed to do now ? How long until I knew what exactly was going on ? How long would I have to lay here and wonder if he was alive or dead ?

Tears streaked down my face again and I heard myself sobbing into my hands which were covering my head. I felt like I couldn't breath and it took me a minute to understand that I was crying so hard, I was nearly hyperventilating.

In fact I was crying so hard and so loudly I nearly missed the sound of the door at the end of the hall opening and then shutting once again very quickly.

I jerked my head up, squinting into the darkness and peering through tears that refuse to let up, I saw something moving. A huddled mass shrouded in darkness and not making a sound. There was a sharp hiss and a click on the other side of the door and the light above it blinked on once again. I hadn't even noticed it wasn't lit until it came back on. An angry red beacon over the only portal of escape.

I wondered absently if the light being off had meant that the door was unlock all this time. Could I have just stepped out and walked away instead of searching frantically for Chuck ? Would I have left him here and escaped to freedom had I known the option was opened to me ?

I thought about all this only vaguely as I continued to watch the shape at the end of the hall, shrouded in black and almost totally unmoving.

I watched and waited. Waited for something else to happen, waited for something that would put things into motions, whatever motion that might be.

When nothing happened for several minutes, I got slowly to my feet and eased my way towards the object. As I got near, I realized that it was human shaped, a human shape I recognized, in fact. A human shape that only minutes before I was mourning the loss of. Chuck.

I raced to him and fell to my knees by his side, gingerly touching his back as I tried to find his face in the mass of body parts.

When I touched him, he raised his head and I nearly jumped back in horror. His eyes, always so beautiful and full of mischief and emotion, were swollen mostly closed. I could barely make out the smallest sliver of color looking back at me. His perfect, flawless skin was battered and bruised so badly he almost wasn't recognizable.

I gasped and my eyes flew open in surprise.

" Oh my God, Chuck, Are you okay ?" I asked, laying gentle fingers to the side of his mishapped face.

His bottom lip was swollen as well and a steady stream of blood trickled from a wound of the side of his mouth. His nose looked broken and he was holding his arm around his middle protectively.

At first he didn't answer me. I wasn't sure he even recognized me. There was no emotion in him. But then so suddenly it startled me, he reached out and grabbed me against him.

" Blair," He whispered. " Are you alright ?"

I shook my head, feeling myself start to cry again. " Of course, I'm alright. Are you alright ?"

He struggled to an upright position and propped his back against the door. His knees were drawn up to his chest and his arms were propped on them as he turned his head carefully to look at me.

His gaze scanned over me as if he were checking to make sure I was really okay and not just lying to him.

" They didn't touch me. I woke up right where I fell down. The only thing different was you weren't here." I told him.

" They didn't take you, too ?" He asked, disbelievingly.

I shook my head again and reached for his hand to reassure him, or maybe to reassure myself that he was really there. Either way, I just wanted to be touching him somehow.

He tried to take a breath but choked and started coughing before he made it very far. I winced at the look of pain on his face. " God, what did they do to you ?"

" Not they, " His strained voice was just above a whisper. " I know now why we're here." He shifted and grabbed me into his chest, clutching at me almost desperately. " I was so afraid that they had taken you, too. That he would find out who it was in here with me."

" Who ?" I asked into his shoulder. He relaxed his hold slightly, allowing me enough room to breath. And I turned my head so that I could see into his face. " Uncle Jack." He answered finally.

I jerked back and eyed him incredulously. " Your Uncle Jack is the man that's taken us hostage ?" I demanded.

He nodded painfully.

" Why ? " I pondered out loud.

" He wants my shares in the company. He wants me to sign over my stocks and give him control. He actually told me that while his crones were beating the shit out of me. Said, I'm sorry, kid. This isn't personal. It's just business." He told me sardonically.

I didn't know what to say to him. He looked so hurt, so lost and so unlike Chuck. I was reminded of the time right after his father's funeral when he came to me and I held him all night. He had been beaten and broken then, too, only on different level.

" We need to get you up and into the bedroom. I want to see how badly you're hurt." I told him.

He held onto my hand, refusing to let it go and I glanced at him then stopped when I caught his eye.

" The men that are working for him don't know who you are." He told me. " All Jack knows is that they grabbed some girl when they took me." He squeezed my hand. " We have to keep it that way. As long as Jack is just threatening me, I can hold him off. If he finds out you're the one down here with me, he'll try to use you. I won't let that happen."

" Well, you aren't giving him your company either." I announced firmly. " I don't care what he does to me. You can't let him do this. We'll just have to figure out a way to escape."

"Escape ?" He asked like he didn't understand the word.

" Yes, escape. You know, flee, runaway, leave this place and return home. Escape." I answered, getting to my feet with him still clutching my hand, which was no easy task.

" How do you propose we accomplish this miracle ?" He muttered as he tried to stand and fell back into the door.

" I don't know yet. But we'll think of something. We always do."


	11. Chapter 11

He leaned his broken, battered body heavily against mine as I maneuvered him down the hall.

The hot bath didn't serve to make him look any less damaged and as he lay stretched out on the bed in front of me, I knew what he really needed was a doctor.

A dark purplish bruise nearly covered the left side of his chest and only a slightly less frightening one marred his right side. His ribs were, if not broken, severely bruised. The left side of his chest was swollen and almost too sore for me to touch. He winced every time I came close to brushing my fingers over the flesh.

The ice pack didn't seem to be helping. That was the first thing I'd tried, but I had no idea where to rest it as I surveyed him critically. Both of his eyes were swollen, again his left was worse than the right, but neither of them looked very good. His left cheekbone was also swollen.

As I looked at him, he seemed so foreign, so alien to me, I wondered despairingly if his face would ever look the same again. Would it eventually return to the devastatingly handsome perfection that he once was or would this injury somehow stay with him, change him so completely that he would never be the same man again ?

I realized with startled surprise that I didn't care. Even if he was forever marred and disfigured, he was still my Chuck. No matter what, he would always be my Chuck.

I went about covering all the wounds I could find with bandages after cleaning them throughly despite his pouting and threats. Then I curled up beside him and rested my head gingerly against his shoulder.

His arm came to wrap around me and he held me close, both of us just relieved to be back together and, for the moment at least, safe.

" Have you devised some sort of plan while you were prolonging my torture ? " He asked as he stared up at the ceiling.

" I wasn't torturing you. I was treating you." I specified. " And no, I haven't come up with anything yet."

He turned his head and gently kissed the top of my head. " I want you to promise me something." He announced.

" What ?"

" Promise me that when they come back, you'll stay hidden. Get under the bed, do whatever you have to. Jack can't find out that you are the one down here." he said, holding me tighter. " If he realizes what kind of ammunition he really has, he'll use you. He'll hurt you to get to me and I can't let that happen."

I sat up quickly. " I'm not letting them take you again. I'll scratch their eyes out if I have to."

" Blair," He insisted. " I can handle this. What I can't handle is knowing that he has you. Promise me."

I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest defiantly. " No, the next time they come, we'll be ready for them. We'll stop them and they won't take either of us."

" Be ready for them ?" He laughed. " Like we were this time ? How can we be ready for them ? They have all the power here. They just turn off all the lights and we're pretty much helpless."

" Only because we weren't prepared. We didn't know they might be coming." I argued. " We will think of something."

" You keep saying that, but I can't see how we can fight against this." His tone was so lost, so defeated.

I took his hand and squeezed it. " We'll find a way. We have to."

" That's easy for you to say. You aren't the one that got ran over by a Mac truck." He pouted.

" Do you think this is easy for me, watching you, seeing you like this ? I didn't know where you were. I thought they had taken you away from me forever. I thought they were killing you." I was crying again and batted at the tears angrily.

He reached a hand up and the expression of pain on his face told me what the effort had cost him. Then he touched my cheek so softly. " I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I know this hasn't been easy for you either."

" You realize that if Jack is behind this and he has no idea that I'm here with you, then there is no ransom. No one is going to save us. No one is coming." I told him even as the thought occurred to me. "He's just going to keep us here until either you sign over your shares or he kills you."

Chuck drew in a breath and his face turned horrified for a moment. " No, actually I hadn't thought about that. But I guess you're right. We do have to fight. It's the only way we're going to make it out of here alive."

" So tomorrow we come up with a plan. We'll figure this out. We're Chuck and Blair. Devising plans and scheming to get what we want is what we do." I announced full on more confidently than I felt.

He let out a garbled, weak laugh. " You're right. It's what we do."

I looked down on him with pity in my eyes. He looked so broken and defeated it nearly broke my heart. " What can I do to make you better ?" I asked, willing to try anything to help him.

" Blair," he took my hand and squeezed it. " You have fed me, bathed me and tortured me with peroxide. You're poked pills down me and covered me with ice packs. I can't think of anything else I need right now besides sleep and you being by me."

As I sank down into the blankets and snuggled against his side I let out another silent prayer of thanks to whoever was listening for bringing him back to me.

* * *

It took three days for him to even begin to look normal again. He spent most of his time in bed, at my insistence and we talked about how we were going to escape. We came up with so many plans I couldn't remember them all, but none of them had the potential to actually work. I was beginning to think he was right. There was no way to fight against this. The men that held us had all the power and we were helpless. And helpless is a state I am neither accustomed to or fond of.

" I was thinking that if one of us had paid attention in class or were some kind of super geek, we could figure out a way to get a signal out. You know, call for help." I mused as I reclined against the headboard while Chuck rested his head in my lap.

" Yeah, too bad neither of us is a super geek." He agreed.

" About all I can is design an outfit for our escape." I sighed.

" I could buy our way out if there were anyone to bribe." He answered.

" How is it possible that we have gotten almost all the way through high school and still have no discernible, usable skills to prepare us for the real world ?"

He sat up quickly and his eyes were intense and alive with the spark of a new idea when he looked at me. " We have skills."

" Chuck, I don't think the ability to roll a joint or text four people at a time is going to get us out of here."

" Please don't remind me that I've been sober for over a week now." He bit sarcastically. " What I mean is that you were right. We have skills. We manipulate, we scheme. We solve problems. We just have to look at this in a different way."

I sat up straighter and took a deep breath. " Okay, I guess it couldn't hurt. Looking at it like we're screwed sure isn't helping the creative process."

He smirked at my snide comment but didn't respond to it. " Okay, we know there is nothing we can do until they come back and try to grab one of us again. That much is a given. There is no way to get out of the only exit door. We've tried that already."

I nodded and let him continue without interrupting. When Chuck got going like he was, it was best to just sit back and watch his devious brain do its magic.

" So how do we get the upper hand when they come back and turn off all the lights and shoot us up with drugs ?"

" We carry flashlights ?" I offered.

He gave me a look that said I wasn't really helping so I shut up again. Obviously he had a point to make.

" First off, we can't let them catch us like they did last time. It was easy for them. We were standing in the hall. All they had to do was point and shoot. We practically had targets on our chests."

I held up a hand to stop him for a moment. " Do you think maybe they knew we were in the hall when they came in ? It seems a little convenient that we just happen to be in the perfect spot for them."

He thought about that for a minute. " You think they may have cameras here somewhere, hidden in the halls or something ? Some kind of surveillance ?"

My entire body shuddered at the thought of those men watching me all the time, seeing me constantly. Then I blushed to the roots of my hair as I thought about all they may have seen over the last week.

Chuck pulled me into his chest at seeing my expression. " It's okay, Blair. We'll look for the cameras. We'll get rid of them. If they're here, we'll find them." He assured me.


	12. Chapter 12

There were five of them. One in the hall, one in the living room, another facing the kitchen and one, to my utter horror and humiliation, in the bedroom. We tried to remove the cameras, but we couldn't. They were anchored into the walls. So instead we covered them, attaching towels or pillowcases, or whatever else we could to find to cover the lens to keep out prying eyes.

Chuck announced after it was all over and we were back in our room, lounging on the bed, that our actions would most likely cause them to come barging in on us pretty quickly.

It was a good thing we had the rest of our plan in place already. It was a sketchy, thin plan. But it was a plan and that was more than we had the last time the men came.

So we quickly grabbed the rest of our preparations and went to the bedroom.

It was the only closed-off room in the space other than the bathroom and we decided it was the place best suited to give us a tactical advantage.

We shut and locked the door, knowing that would do nothing to keep the men out if they really wanted in and appreciating that it would at the very least buy us some time. Then we lifted the mattress up on its end and leaned the top against the wall, creating a space between the bottom of the mattress and the wall for us to hide in. I felt like a kid in a homemade fort as I slide into the little hole and felt Chuck slip in behind me.

His arms came around my waist and he yanked me into his chest. " All this cloak and dagger stuff is kind of exciting, huh ?" He rasped into my ear moments before his tongue slid along my jaw.

" I can't believe you're turned on by all this, Bass." I told him as I tried to pull away.

He just held me tighter and continue to explore my neck. " I'm always turned on when you're around, Waldorf. Everything you do makes me want you. And I've been watching you for three days now, not able to do anything about it."

" There are men coming to beat the life out of one of us very soon and you want me now ?" I asked incredulously.

He was unimpressed by my protests. " They know we're planning something. They won't come immediately. They'll want the element of surprise on their side." He explained smoothly. " We have time."

" You're still hurt." I continued to protest even as I turned in his arms and ran my hands through his hair.

He kissed me soundly as his hands found my breasts and began to massage them through my thin t-shirt. When his thumb raked over my nipple I gasped against his lips.

" I'm not that hurt." He announced in a low throaty whisper as his mouth descended to my neck.

I ached my back into his and let my hands fall to his shoulders. His tongue danced over my skin, stopping only occasionally to nip or suck.

I was writhing in his arms, praying that the lights weren't about to go out and holding on to him for dear life.

I knew what he was doing. I knew what the sudden burst of lust was really about. He was afraid the plan wasn't going to work, though he'd never let me see that. He was all full of confidence and bravado on the outside, but I knew him better than anyone in the world. He wanted to be as close to me as he could, one more time, in case things went badly. I understood that. I sympathized with it. I needed him as badly as he needed me.

When he yanked my shirt up and tossed it to the floor behind us, his eyes fell on my heaving breasts and rested there for a long moment, as if he were trying to memorize every detail. He continued to stare at me so long it almost made me uncomfortable. He was still, his hands resting at my waist and his eyes glazed over as they scanned me carefully. Then finally he gave a slow, mesmerizing smile and met my gaze with his. " I love you." He whispered into the silence that had fallen over us.

" I love you, too." I answered automatically as I reached for him.

He held himself back and moved his hand to my hair. " I love absolutely everything about you." he said, running his long fingers through my tresses. " I love your hair." Then he moved his hand to my shoulder and brushed his fingertips over the curve and up the side of my neck. " I love this part. The part where your neck connects to your shoulder. It's perfect." He leaned down and nuzzled the place he mentioned for a moment before moving on. His mouth moved over my shoulder, tasting my skin almost delicately. " I love this curve. It's the most exquisite shoulder I've ever seen." I squirmed in his arms, wanting to kiss him, wanting him to do more than just barely brush my skin, but he refused to give in to my attempts. He glided his lips over my shoulder and down my arm, stopping to suck and bite on the inside of my elbow.

I gasped. No one had ever done that before. I had no idea that elbows were such sensitive places, but as his mouth attached to the soft skin there, I felt my toes curl at the sensation. " I love your elbows. God has never created more delicious elbows." He told me before kissing his way down to my wrist. Again, he stopped there and sucked and nipped at the pulse point on the inside of my wrist. And again I was startled by the tingle in my entire body that it caused. He stayed there for a long moment, sucking at my wrist while cradling my hand in his much larger one.

I decided right then I was the luckiest woman alive. Some men have a natural innate ability to paint beautiful works of art. Some men have a natural talent for writing the most heart-rendering, soulful music. My Chuck was a master at sex. This was his art and he was passionate about it.

As his lips finally strayed down to my palm, where he paused again, I was completely caught up in watching him devour me that I forgot about everything else. I forgot where we were, that we were in impending peril, that our lives were in jeopardy. Nothing else existed beyond him and what he was doing to me with his mouth and his tongue and his teeth. I was spellbound as he took each of my fingers into the warmth and wetness of his mouth. I almost forgot he had been making a running dialog of everything he loved about me until he let my thumb slip from his lips and he smiled at me. " I love your hands. So small and delicate, yet capable of bringing me to my knees with hardly any effort at all. Just like the woman they're attached to."

"Chuck" I moaned as I grabbed for him again. He let me this time, finding my mouth with his and dragging his tongue over mine so sensuously that for a moment I forgot how to breath or the fact that I needed to. The burning my chest was the only thing in the world that could have caused me to pull away. And even then it was only long enough to make it stop, then I was right back at his mouth, kissing him again.

He pulled away finally and dropped his head to my throat. He took a few moments to rest his tongue against the pulse that was throbbing there. " I love the feel of your heartbeat racing against my tongue. I love knowing that I'm the one causing it to beat so hard and so fast." He practically sighed the words. His arms wrapped around me splaying over my back and holding me tightly into him. I was nearly sitting in his lap and every move he made pulled me even deeper into him. I sighed and threw my head back, letting him indulge himself in whatever he wanted to do to me.

He laid me back against the floor so gently it as if he thought I was suddenly breakable. His movements were tender and soft and not at all the normal for him. This wasn't Chuck's style. It wasn't his way. And it certainly wasn't how I wanted what could be our last time together to be like. I wanted normal Chuck. I wanted lust-filled, crazed, standing on the edge of reality Chuck.

So as soon as my back hit the floor, I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him down to me. He grunted as his weight shifted and tried to regain his balance so not to crush me with his weight, but his weight was what I wanted. I wanted to feel him smothering me with it. I wanted all of him pushing into me. I raised my hips and ground myself into his groining and he was gone.

He jerked away from me so abruptly I lost my breath and let out an impatient, whimpering noise at suddenly being without him.

He reached down and cupped my breast in his palm, reassuring me that he wasn't going far, while he yanked his shirt over his head and away from him. I grabbed his hips and jerked him forward so I could reach the button and zipper of his jeans.

Something about the thought of Chuck Bass wearing worn, dingy, tattered jeans suddenly seemed so erotic and intoxicating to me. I had seen Humphrey in jeans before, I'd even occasionally seen Nate in jeans, albeit, they were designer jeans, but I had never before seen Chuck low-rate himself by donning denim of all things. The site of the waistband, that had been previously hidden by his shirt, riding so low on his lean hips was beyond amazing. I just stared for a moment, unable to do anything else. Then, instead of undressing him, I let my fingers slide through the trail of hair that covered the middle of his stomach and disappeared into the rough material of his pants.

Chuck might have been only seventeen years old, but he had the body of a full grown man. Just like the inner man, he was far more mature than his limited years.

He was completely still, kneeling over me as he let me explore his chest at my leisure. That was also a measure of the man. Most seventeen year olds were too impatient to just sit there like that. Not Chuck, he was always so controlled and restrained right up to the moment when he wasn't. But that moment took a long time to come around. His self possessed, indulgent tolerance of my need to experience everything when we were first together was something that I would always love him for.

When I had my fill for the moment of his skin under my fingertips, I slide the button of his jeans through the material and slowly pulled the tab of his zipper down. When I did, my hand brushed against the evidence of his arousal. He sucked in a quick breath and I could tell he was fighting the urge to thrust himself more firmly into my hand.

I gave him what he wanted and took his length into my hand through his jeans, rubbing it softly at first then much more firmly as he quit fighting and pushed himself into my palm.

I turned slightly, maneuvering myself around until I was able to run my tongue down the center of his chest. His jeans were still hanging on his hips, unfastened and begging to be slid off. I grabbed his hips again and brought my mouth over his hardness, still through his jeans.

I heard him groan something about God and when I glanced up at his face, his eyes were closed and his head was thrown back in abandon.

I slide his jeans off an inch at a time, letting my fingers glide through the hair that covered his thighs as I did. He was still muttering under his breath quietly right until I slid my tongue over his length, then his exclamation was anything but quiet. In fact, I was pretty sure the outside world could have heard him despite where we were. That was when I finally understood the words he was mumbling. He was saying ' I love you' over and over, like it was a mantra. I didn't think he was even aware that he was saying it out loud.

That was THE moment. Years later when I thought back to the moment I really, truly believed that he meant what he was saying, that he understood exactly what he was saying, it would be this moment. There was absolutely no question, no hesitation. The emotion accompanying the exclamation was beyond doubt. And I had never felt more loved in my life.

I forgot what I was doing, or what I was about to do and lunged for him, pulling his lips to mine and covering them completely. I wished that there was some way I could give him what he had just given me. I wanted him to not just hear how I felt about him, but feel it, like I just had.

But before I could say anything, before I could tell him any of that, he spun me around in his arms and covered my breasts with his hands.

His mouth attached to the back of neck as he leaned us slightly forward and then before I even knew what was happening he was completely inside me, sliding in so easily and quickly that I gasped out loud.

We rocked against each other while he continued to nip and suck at my throat and the spot right below my ear. I was so totally out of control I lost track of everything besides where we were and what he was doing to me, how he was making me feel.

There was no gentleness now, no tenderness. And I was grateful and empowered by the fact that I had pushed him beyond his self restraint. Knowing I could make the Great Chuck Bass so utterly lose control was the best high I had ever been on in my life.

I reached behind me and clutched at his thighs where they rested firmly against the backs of mine. The hair of his chest tickled my back and sent wonderful tingles all down my spine.

His hands were busy massage my breasts, pinching my nipples between his fingers just hard enough to be on the brink of pain.

" I love you." He rasped into my ear. I was beginning to think it was the only thing he was capable of saying anymore.

I let my chin flop to my chest as his mouth moved to the nape of my neck. Again, it was another spot I was completely unaware of until he nipped gently at the skin then began to suck on it feverishly.

Then suddenly he lunged us both forward and I just barely had time to bring my hands out in front of me to brace myself. His hands went to my shoulders, pushing me into him as his body moved forward, enabling him to reach depth we never had before.

I was very grateful that we were so totally alone because the sounds we were both making could have woken an entire apartment building. I had a fleeting thought about how we were going to manage to stay quiet when we returned home and were no longer so alone. An image of my mother and Cyrus pounding on my bedroom door demanding to know what we were doing flashed through my mind and I almost laughed out loud.

I came back to the present just as Chuck stopped moving behind me and pulled away. I moaned out in protest until his arms flipped me effortless around so that I was staring into his eyes.

" I needed to see you." he panted in way of explanation as he laid me down, not so gently this time and entered me once again.

When his hips were resting completely against mine and he couldn't possibly get any closer he paused and took a moment to push a stray curl of my hair from my face. " You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." He whispered against my lips as he began to move again.

He was being gentle now, pushing into me with long, slow, leisurely thrust that went as deep as he possibly could, only to pull nearly completely away from me before once again plunging back inside.

His lips never left mine and his arms were curled around my shoulder, holding me so tightly I could barely breath. I was helping by locking my legs around his hips and my arms around his waist.

We kept up the lingering pace until neither of us could stand it any longer. My muscles were turning to jelly we had been at this so long and I could feel his legs shaking with exhaustion where they rested against my body. Then, just when I didn't think he had any energy left, he pulled his mouth away from mine and leaned up, giving himself better leverage and began plunging into me so hard and so quickly that it left me breathless once again. Every muscle in my body suddenly convulsed so hard I thought I was having a seizure. I tightened so hard and so abruptly he grabbed my waist and plunged as deeply as he could before he yelled my name to the ceiling and toppled over onto me.

I thought for a moment I'd killed him. He was totally still and quiet for so long.

Then finally he lazily raised his head and kissed me tenderly, before grabbing me to him as he rolled to the side and pushed more of my hair from my face.

" That very well may have been the very best sex I have ever had." He panted as he played with my hair. Then he chuckled deep in his throat and gave me his smile. " And for me that's saying a lot."

I laughed and batted his shoulder, though in my exhausted state it was more like brushing against it with my fingertips. " I bet you say that to all the girls."

He kissed my forehead. " Ah, but you get the distinct honor of being the last one I'll ever say it to."

" Again, you're just saying that because you think we're going to die any moment now." I teased. I hadn't meant anything by it. I really hadn't and I certainly hadn't expected the reaction my playful banter got.

He sat up all at once, finding some reserve of strength somewhere and hauled me into a sitting position beside him. "It doesn't matter if we die in ten minutes or fifty years, Blair. I am never letting you go again."

The look on his face was scary. His dark eyes were blazing with sincerity and determination. His mouth was set in that way that said there was absolutely no room for argument in his words.

" Chuck," I started as I reached up and smoothed his furrowed brow, easing the lines from it with my fingertips. " I'm not going anywhere. Not in ten minutes or fifty years. I'm never leaving you. You don't have to worry."

He grabbed me and held me against him so desperately. " Promise me." His voice, his demeanor reminded me instantly of the night right after his father died, the night I'd spent just holding him while he cried in my arms.

I pulled away from him and gave him the best smile I could muster. " Of course I promise."

But apparently that wasn't good enough for him because he still looked so lost, so boyishly frightened. I didn't know what I could possibly say to make him understand that there was nothing in the world that could ever drag me away from his side again.

" I want..." his voice trailed off as if he were searching for the words that would explain how he was feeling. He studied my face intently and my breath caught in my throat at his expression once again. "I can't do this now. This isn't right."

Blinking in surprise I gave him a look that told him I had no idea what he was talking about.

Then he shook his head. " I've spent too much not saying what needed to be said or doing what needed to be done."

I was still blinking at him. It was like he was arguing with himself out loud and I was only getting one side of the conversation. I couldn't possibly keep up.

Then he suddenly took my hands in his and held them tightly, almost painfully. " I wanted to wait. I mean we're only seventeen years old. We're so young and our entire life is stretched out before us. We have no idea where we're going or how we're going to get there. I feel stupid even saying it now."

" Chuck, I have no idea what you're talking about here." I admitted. " But whatever you have to say to me, I promise I won't think it's stupid. Just tell me whatever it is. I'll listen."

He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. I was expecting some kind of heartfelt confession. I was expected something terrible, what came out was about as far from what I was expecting as it possibly could have been. " Marry me." He blurted out so quickly I almost didn't hear it. When I didn't say anything because I was too stunned he plunged on ahead as if his request required an explanation.

" I was planning on asking you on Valentine's before the bastards grabbed me. I made a ring out of a cardboard wrapper but I can't find it now. I guess I lost it upstairs. That was your surprise. And I don't expect us to get married as soon as we get free. I know, like I said we're only seventeen years old and this isn't Alabama or Tennessee. But after college. I just want to know that's where this is going. I want to know that this is forever with us."

I stopped him with a kiss. It was the only thing I could think of doing. " Of course this is forever." I told him when we pulled apart. " We're Chair. Nothing is ever going to change that. I'd marry you right this minute if I could."

His smile, what I caught of it, was brilliant and wider than I'd ever seen it. Of course I only got a glimpse of it because it was at that moment that the lights went out.


	13. Chapter 13

The second the lights went out we began to scramble, pulling on articles of clothing and quickly preparing ourselves just like we'd planned.

Silently, we clung to each other as we heard footsteps rampaging through what we'd come to think of as our home. I tried to determine how many different pairs there actually were but it was too jumbled to really tell. There could have been two of them, or five, I had no idea.

As Chuck pulled me tighter in behind me, I felt the fear gripping my chest making it hard to breath and even harder to think clearly. But knowing I needed to keep my head, I swallowed the lump in my throat and did my best to quiet my rapid heartbeat.

" It's going to be okay." Chuck whispered to me in the darkness and I nodded in agreement against his shoulder.

I clutched him tighter when the doorknob started to rattle. As soon as our pursuers realized it was locked, I jumped at the loud crack of the door being broken in. The sound of the wood shattering was as loud as thunder and it echoed through the silence that surrounded us.

" Charles !" A loud, familiar voice rang out causing Chuck to become rigid under my hands.

" Get down." He spat over his shoulder. " He can't find you here."

His tone was so quiet I was the only one that could hear him but there was fear and insistence there was well. At the same moment he pushed against him, shrugging off my grasp and knocking me to the floor.

He turned to me and bent so he could whisper in my ear.

" This changes everything, Blair." He gasped quickly. " I wasn't expecting him to come down here. Stay hidden."

" Charles, I know you're in here. Covering my cameras was a big mistake." Jack called. " I warned you not to try anything stupid."

" Did you really think I was just going to sit down here quietly and wait for you to come get me again?" Chuck called to his uncle.

I heard a bit of shuffling and tried to stand up, but Chuck pushed me back down when he felt me move.

Beams of light played over the room as flashlights spanned the area, searching us out.

" Are we really going to play hide and seek now ? Aren't you a little old for these kind of games ?" Jack asked as the footsteps got closer.

" I'm not playing with you, Jack."

The voice got closer still causing my heart to stop beating all together.

In his hand, Chuck adjusted the heavy pan he was holding, preparing to strike the instant one of them came into view.

The moment the blacker than black shadow crouched down to get a better view of where we were huddled on the floor, Chuck gave a long loud shout, as he exploded upwards, throwing the mattress as he went and lashing out with the pan at the same instant.

We received the element of surprise we were hoping for and while the men struggled, two trying to recover from where the mattress had knocked them to the ground, one trying to dodge the pan and another spanning the room with the flashlight, trying to determine our position, I darted.

I really wasn't expecting to get very far, in fact, I figured someone was bound to grab me any moment. But no one did and I just kept running as fast as I could. I stumbled in the darkness over the door that now lay on it side by the door. Still, it didn't stop me for long. I righted myself and plunged onward, not taking even the slightest breath until I reached the hallway.

I glanced up and found, just as we expected the light above the door at the end of the hallway was in fact dark.

Sprinting so hard my chest hurt from the exertion, I made it to the door without anyone stopping me and again I was surprised. I was expecting at least one person to be guarding the unlocked door, but apparently they had underestimated us and not left a guard.

As I dragging the heavy metal door opened and dashed outside, I had to pause for a moment to let my eyes adjust the change as light suddenly blared, temporarily blinding me.

I blinked against the stinging in my eyes and looked around quickly.

I was standing at the bottom of a staircase, a long, brightly lit staircase leading upwards for what seemed like an eternity. I couldn't imagine being able to make it the top before someone found me, but freedom was waiting up there and I was determined to try.

Working my way two steps at a time, I made it halfway up before I heard a commotion at the door behind me. I didn't dare to turn and look, but I distinctly heard several voices and a lot of grunting and swearing. What I didn't hear, and I was listening for as hard as I could, was Chuck's voice.

I tried to push the unpleasant thoughts that were bombarding me as far away as I could. I was determined not to let him down. We had a chance at freedom and now it was all up to me to seek it out.

I finally made it to the top just as I heard the voices gaining on me.

With a great breath of relief, I pushed the door I found there opened and dashed out into the upper part of the house. Having never seen the place before, at least not while I was conscious I needed a moment to get my bearings.

I was standing at the end of another long hallway. Two doors were situated halfway down and another stood at the opposite end. I didn't take long to decided which one I was going to try, mostly because the men behind me were getting closer with every passing second.

The first door I came to was on my right and I darted inside and closed the door behind me before I even bothered to give it a glance.

Once I did turn around, I was again relieved. It was a small bedroom. Only a single bed, a dresser and a table decorated the space. That, and the source of my relief, a phone. It was sitting beside the bed, resting on its cradle, beckoning me like a beacon of hope.

A raced to it and grabbed it, jabbing in 911as quickly as my well trained, texting fingers could push.

I listened to the ringing impatiently tapping my foot as I tried to listen for sounds of my pursuers at the door.

It seemed Chuck was keeping everyone occupied for the moment because I heard the footsteps thunder past my door and continue on down the hallway.

Finally a crisp, professional sounding voice answered. " 911, what is the nature of your emergency ?"

" I've been kidnapped." I whispered urgently into the receiver.

" Okay, Miss. Can you tell me where it is that you're being held ?" The woman asked.

" No, I have no idea where I am. I need the police. They have another hostage and they're hurting him."

" Can you tell me anything about your surroundings ? Anything at all ? Can you see outside a window?" She continued in an irritatingly calm voice.

" If there was a window anywhere I would have broken it and gotten away. We've been held in some kind of basement, like a shelter or something. It's underground. I'm not even sure about what city I'm in." I informed her, still keeping my voice as quiet as I could.

I knew any minute someone was going to come looking for me. I had to give the police enough time to trace the call. Thank you, CSI.

So in this line of thinking, I dropped the phone onto the top of the dresser and began to pull the bed away from the far wall. It's frame was on rollers so it rolled fairly easily. When it was far enough from the wall, I scrambled over it and began to push instead. I kept going until it was against the door. Then I sat down on it and grabbed the phone again.

" Okay, I've barricaded myself in a bedroom. That should give you enough time to trace the call. How much time do you need for that ?" I asked a little breathless from my effort.

" Just a few minutes. We are determining your location right now. Just stay on the line and help me as much as you can. Do you recognize any of the men that took you ?"

" Yes, one of them is Jack Bass. His nephew Charles is the other victim." I answered.

" Okay, where were you when you were taken ?"

" At a party." I told her, thinking it was the stupidest question she could have asked.

" Where was this party ? In what city ? Do you remember ?"

Of course I remembered. " It was in New York. We were in New York when we were taken."

We continued on with silly questions and obvious ( at least to me ) answers for a few more moments.

I told her the exact address of the party, my name, how to locate my mother and Lily

At last her voice grew cheerful. " Miss, we have your location and officers are being dispatched right away. I want you to stay on the line with me until they arrive."

I nodded as if she could see me. Then told her okay.

It was at that moment that the door banged. I jumped and gave a little yelp of surprise. " They found me." I told the woman on the phone.

" It's going to be okay." She assured me. " Help is on the way."

I hadn't even thought about it until that moment, but there was a window sitting right where the head of the bed had been. It was just there and I'd been staring at it the entire time I was talking to the police. It just hadn't occurred to me until right then that waiting around was really, really, stupid.

The banged against the door was getting louder and I dropped the phone quickly and fled to the window.

Without my added weight, the door began to budge open slightly as the men outside pushed against it.

I snatched at the lock above the window and jerked it upwards, pushing with all my might and when at first it refused to budge.

Then just as the bed began to move towards me a little, the window lifted and flung myself through it, hoping that I was indeed still on the ground floor. It was dark outside and I couldn't be sure until my rear end contacted the grass.

I scrambled to my feet and took off at a dead run.

I heard one of the men shout, " She's outside." from behind me, but I didn't look back. I just kept running.

My mind was racing nearly as quickly as my legs were pumping. I wondered what was happening to Chuck. I wondered if they were hurting him worse because I had escaped. I wondered where he was in the house.

Dashing behind a tree, I stopped for a moment and looked back at the structure I'd been held in for nearly two weeks.

It was a modest size house, surrounded by a wooded area. I was certain at least that we were no longer in New York City. I couldn't see another house anywhere nearby. But as I scanned the house, I could see that only three rooms had lights on. Chuck was in one of those rooms, I was pretty sure.

I had only a moment to decide if I should keep running, keep hidden and wait for the police or try to find Chuck and rescue him from whatever torture he was enduring.

The smartest thing to do would be to keep running. There was a good expanse of woods and it would take them forever to find me in all those trees. I could lose myself in the darkness and flee until I heard the police coming.

Or I could stay where I was. I was watching the men scanning the yard with their flashlights and I felt reasonably sure I could stay hidden for a little while at the very least. Again, maybe long enough for the police to get to us.

But as soon as the next thought occurred to me, I knew I had no choice. What would Chuck do if he were out here and I was in there ?

He'd tear the house down to the ground looking for me. He'd save me regardless if it put him back in danger or not. There was no question about that in my mind. I knew it.

So with one eye on the men and their flashlights, I crept out from behind the tree and dashed back to the house as quickly as I could.

My legs were hurting, I think from all the adrenaline coursing through my entire body, but I ignored the pain and continued on as stealthily as I could.

It was ludicrous. They were going to spot me any moment and then they would drag me to Jack. I wondered briefly how much time it took to do despicable things to someone. Would there be that much time before help arrived ? Surely our rescuers would be showing up any moment in their black and white stallions with lights flashing and blaring.

What would Jack do to Chuck when he heard the sirens ? Would he kill him ? Would he run away and try to save himself ?

A few not so wonderful scenarios played through my mind and I was instantly unsure that calling the police had been a good idea. Maybe we should have escaped on our own, taken our chances without the interference of the authorities.

But without the police finding us, actually being held by these men, would we have any proof of what happened ? It would be our word against Jack's. Teenagers against a respected business man with a lot of pull, I was sure.

I edged around the house until I came to the first lit up window. Peering inside, my view was partially blocked by blinds. But not entirely.

Cocky bastards, they hadn't even bothered to make sure the blinds were completely shut before they brought their captor's upstairs to torture them.

The room I was looking into was apparently a dining room. There was a long table in the center, surrounded by several chairs. It was empty and I couldn't see anything moving beyond it. So I continued to move on.

My back brushed quietly along the white siding that covered the outside of the house as I eased along at a snail's pace, making sure I wasn't noticed.

I finally came to another window that had lights on behind it and I stopped and peered inside. This was another bedroom. I couldn't see much of the room. There were curtains covering the blinds here, but they were gauzy and white and I could make out a few shapes from around the edges of the blinds. There was a bed sitting against the window and on it was a body. I wasn't sure who's body, I couldn't see enough detail. In fact all I could really see was a hand.

I tried to focus on the hand, squinting to get a good look at it and I felt my pulse leap into me throat.

I knew that hand. I'd watched that had so many times doing so many things. I'd lost myself in watching that hand on more than one occasion.

It was Chuck. I had no doubt about it. And I was suddenly frightened. He was completely still, not shifting or moving at all. His fingers didn't twitch even in the slightest. I waited, not breathing, just staring at his hand for several moments.

The men had moved towards the woods and weren't bothering to check around the house. I could hear their voices getting further and further away from me as the seconds ticked by.

I had no idea what to do now. Finding him had been my goal. Now that I had I wasn't sure where to go from here. Did I try to sneak back inside the house and help him ? I couldn't see anyone else in the room with him, I guessed they were all busy trying to locate me.

But where was Jack ?

Was he still inside ? I hadn't recognized him among the men that came after me. And it didn't seem like something he would do. Chasing after us was definitely something he would send his cronies to do while he sat back and waited for things to happen.

But still, I certainly didn't want to chance sneaking back inside and running into him. Jack was dangerous and irrational. I had always known that. I think maybe Chuck's father knew it, too. I think it was probably why he gave him some compulsory job as far away from him and his family as he could get him.

These were the thoughts playing through my head as I stared at Chuck's lifeless hand when suddenly out of nowhere, I was grabbed and pushed up against the house.


	14. Chapter 14

The hand that grabbed me jerked me back and into the house a touch roughly and I almost shouted at its owner. It was instinct. No one manhandles me. I even went so far as to open my mouth, but before the sound could come out, the hand had moved over it to muffle my words.

" SHHH !" The hand's owner hushed me. " Are you the one that called 911 ?"

I took a moment to peer at him over his hand and it was exactly what I'd been hoping to see. Short-cropped brown hair, a blue uniform. A badge. The police.

I have no idea what possessed me, maybe it was the utter relief I felt at knowing the entire ordeal was finally over but I leaped forward and hugged this strange man tightly.

I felt him awkwardly patting my back and whispering things like, it's going to be okay, You're safe now. I hardly heard him.

Then suddenly I gasped and pulled away from the policeman. " Chuck !" I whispered.

" Chuck ?" Another voice asked, from behind me.

" He's being held, too. Only he distracted them so I could get away. They still have him." I motioned towards the window and pointed at the still unmoving hand. " That's Chuck." I breathed. " You have to save him."

The man behind me was trying to drag me away while the one in front of me nodded. " We'll do everything we can." He was saying.

I stopped immediately and put my hands on my hips, planting my feet and refusing to be moved any further. " That's not good enough. You have to promise me you'll get him out of there unharmed."

The man behind me grabbed my shoulder and used his superior strength to force me along. " Miss, if you don't keep your voice down, you'll get us all killed." He told me with his mouth right at my ear.

I tried to keep my eyes on the cop by the window. He was easing it upwards even as I was being escorted around the corner of the house.

Then there was another policeman waiting. A woman this time, dressed in plain clothes. Her hair was short and messy and a weird shade of brown that I couldn't really describe. She took me away from the first policeman and walked me across the street to a waiting car.

That's when we heard the gunshot.

I instantly tensed and made a break for the house again. But despite the fact that the woman wasn't much bigger than I was, she was certainly stronger and grabbed me around the waist, holding me still.

There was a lot of squawking coming from the radio attached to her shoulder and I tried to figure out what they were saying.

Someone was yelling that shots had been fired. They called for an ambulance. And the woman with me pushed a button on her microphone and called the order in.

" What happened ?" I demanded.

" I'm not sure. Someone's been shot and it isn't one of my officers. We'll find out shortly."

Chuck ! Had Chuck been shot ? There was a lot more yelling coming through the microphone and again I wasn't able to follow much of what was being said.

There was a lot of movement going on inside the house and then suddenly another shot rang out, followed very closely on the heels of another.

My breath caught in my suddenly very dry throat and I couldn't breath very well. It was like there was a band around my chest, holding my lungs in and keeping them from inflating.

I needed Chuck. I needed to know he wasn't one of the people being shot as the house flared with light and yet another boom rang out.

I couldn't understand why they weren't trying to make sure that the other victim was out of the line of fire like they'd done with me. Why wasn't someone ushering Chuck around from the back of the house, pulling him out of harm's way ?

The image came to my mind of his broken, battered, beaten body the last time our captor's had dragged him upstairs. I knew it was an image I would never be able to forget.

The woman was talking to me but her voice sounded so far away and distant I had no idea what she was saying. I tried to focus on her words. She was talking urgently so whatever she was trying to tell me it was important.

Finally her voice broke through the fog and I understood. " How many men were in there ? Can you give me a guess ? I need to assess whether the scene is secure enough to get the other victim out ?"

" There were five of them. Plus Jack Bass. So six. At least that's what I remember seeing at the back of the house. But I'm not sure. Is Chuck alright ?" I asked, giving her my full attention for the first time.

" I don't have that information. My men are calling for the Paramedics for him. I don't have any details on his condition." She answered quickly before turning away.

Oh God ! Paramedics.

He had been shot. He had been shot and now they couldn't get the ambulance crew inside because they weren't sure they'd be safe.

He was going to bleed to death while the cops played hide and seek with Jack and his men.

There was so much noise and movement coming from inside the house, all the lights were on now and voices yelled out into the once silent night.

I couldn't keep up with what was happening, though I did the best I could. From my position on the opposite side of the street behind a patrol car, I couldn't see much of anything.

Then someone emerged from the house, with someone else trailing along behind them. I recognized one of Jack's men that had been chasing me through the woods. And there was a policeman pushing him quickly along. Another of Jack's men came out a moment later with another policeman hot on his heels.

Both of the bad guys were in handcuffs and they each cast their eyes at me for a brief moment, making me take an involuntary step back.

The ambulance arrive a moment later and I watched as two medics climbed out. They reminded me of Laurel and Hardy. A pair of comedians from a really long time ago. One of them was fat and round and had a face mostly taken up by his nose. The other was tall, and long and had a face that looked like someone had smashed it in when he was young and it just stayed like that. Both had short brown hair and both were dressed in the normal paramedics uniform.

As soon as their feet hit the ground, they ran to the back and pulled out a gurney. Its wheels rattled and clamored over the concrete of the road, making an awful noise as it glided along.

" Do we have clearance to enter ?" The fat one asked.

" Not yet. We still have two unaccounted for perps." The police woman told them.

I watched on as the paramedics bounced on the toes of their feet, as anxious as I was for them to get inside. I could tell that the skinny one was barely holding himself in check to keep from rushing right into the middle of the excitement.

Suddenly there was a lot of movement and loud voices coming from the backyard and I braced myself for the next round of gunshots that seemed to accompany the voices the last two times.

But they never came. Instead, two policeman came around the building hauling yet another of the bad guys in front of them while almost at the same time, another pair brought theirs through the front door.

The woman nodded to the paramedics and they dashed inside.

The wait was nearly intolerable. Another ambulance arrived and they ushered me over to it, despite my protests that I was fine and didn't need them.

I was so preoccupied with my concern for Chuck that I let them poke and prod at me for a few minutes before I realized something that chilled me down to the core of my body.

I hadn't seen Jack. They hadn't dragged Jack Bass to one of the waiting cars in handcuffs. He hadn't come out of the house, yet.

Terror gripped me and tied everything inside me into a tight knot.

And then instantly all thoughts of Jack and how he was still out there somewhere were striped from my mind as I heard a voice arguing quite loudly with another voice.

It was the voice I'd been waiting to hear all night.

I rushed forward just as he was shouting my name at the top of his lungs from the gurney he was trying very hard to get off of, despite the protests of the two paramedics.

Chuck spotted me over the crowd of police and the battle was over as he shoved both of the men away from him and leaped towards me.

The moment his arms were around me I knew we were okay. Until that second I hadn't wanted to believe it was true, hadn't wanted to give myself any false hope. But here we were, standing in the outdoors, wrapped around each other so tightly nothing was going to come between us.

It was over. The whole thing was finally over.

Four hours later we were in a limo, crammed full of Chuck, myself, Lily and Rufus, my mother, Dorota, Serena and Nat. We had been questioned to death by the police. We had been poked and prodded some more at the hospital. We had talked to reporters even. We were both exhausted. I could see the strain on Chuck's face. His eyes were drawn and their lids heavy and dark. I knew my own face was a mirror of his.

He hadn't been hurt during the shoot out. The police had found him unconscious and called for the paramedics, but he hadn't been shot. He hadn't even been bruised. The only person that had been hurt at all during the raid was one of the guards. He had been grazed on the leg when he tried to run off into the woods.

Jack Bass hadn't been among the captured. The police were figuring he had fled before their arrival. They were currently searching for him.

I couldn't think about Jack at the moment though. All I wanted was to get home, take a real shower and sink into my soft, comfortable bed, with Chuck at my side.

This arrangement was still a topic for conversation as we drove through the traffic. My mother was not thrilled with the idea that I wanted Chuck to stay with me. Lily wanted Chuck home with her, but she wasn't actually protesting too hard. She was just genuinely glad that he was safe and like all mothers, she wanted to make sure he stayed that way at least for a short time.

Rufus was actually on my side, though I wasn't sure what his motives might be. Maybe he was just as genuinely concern as Lily and he really was trying to make things as easy for us as he could.

Two weeks. That was actually how long we'd been gone. My mother had called the police the next morning when I hadn't come home from the party. Lily hadn't called them until Serena told her that I missing. It was three days after we were taken. And you could actually see the guilt weighing down on her.

"This is all my fault." She was saying. " Maybe if I'd called the police sooner, they would have found you sooner. I just didn't know."

Chuck turned his head from the window and regarded her. " It wasn't your fault." He said finally, but his voice was unemotional and quiet. " If I didn't have a habit of running off at the drop of a hat and not telling anyone where I was going, you would have known there was a problem." He shifted his gaze to Serena, then to Rufus before turning back to her. " If I started acting like I was part of a family, you would have known I was missing and not just off somewhere in a drunken stupor. So really it's all my fault."

Every eye turned towards him. They were all watching him very carefully. This was so unlike Chuck that it had taken them all aback and caused a very pregnant pause to fill the same space.

I wound my hands tighter around his bicep and put my head against his shoulder, waiting for everyone's reaction to this new improved Chuck.

No one was sure what to say in response. Serena shifted. Lily sat staring at him wide-eyed and completely bemused. My mother's eyes darted from Chuck to Lily and back again so rapidly I thought she might be getting dizzy.

It was Rufus that finally broke the silence. He reached out a hand and patted Chuck's leg in a fatherly way that looked strained and forced, but he was making an effort. The minute he touched Chuck I felt him tense under my hands. His eyes were back on the window as if he wasn't aware that his statement had caused so much tension. He was lost somewhere in his own mind, just staring, unseeingly out the heavily tinted glass.

" No one blames you, Chuck." Rufus said, when Chuck eventually turned and let his gaze fall to the hand on his leg.

" Elenore does." He answered so quietly we all almost missed it.

My mother set up straighter as the attention in the cabin shifted to her.

" I don't blame you, Charles. " She managed but it sounded every bit like the lie it was.

" Maybe we should talk about all this later, after everyone's had a chance to get some rest and time to recuperate." Lily announced as if she were referring.

Finally, I huffed and raised my head from Chuck's shoulder. I felt Dorota stir beside me and then her hand touched my back.

" Miss Blair." She whispered as if in warning.

But it was too late I'd had enough of everyone thinking the worst of Chuck. I'd had enough of everyone's judgment of him, their superior attitudes where he was concerned.

" I realized you've all been through a lot. And I'm sorry for all the worry we caused you." I began.

Rufus and Lily immediately interrupted me, determined to let us both know that we weren't the cause for the worry and had nothing to apologize for. But I waved them both silent and let my eyes land on my mother.

" But you have to realize that we've been through a lot, too. And the worst part is knowing that Jack is still out there. Now I know you don't like Chuck." My mother opened her mouth to protest, but I cut it off before she could continue to lie. " You have never liked Chuck. Which is fine, he's never given you a reason to like him." I glanced to my side and Chuck had gone back to staring out the window. He had the look of someone trying very hard to pretend they were anywhere but where they were. I sympathized. " But the fact is, you don't have to like Chuck. But you do have to accept him because he is going to continue to be a very big part of my life."

" My saying no to Chuck staying with you tonight has nothing to do with whether I like him or not." My mother answered.

" Oh really ?" I asked with raised eyebrows. " You mean to make me believe that if I wanted Nat to stay with me instead, you would still have said no ?"

She looked at Nat, who squirmed at the un-welcomed attention.

" Well," she shrugged. " That's different. You and Nat have always been together. I trust him."

Chuck tensed again and I knew that he had turned towards her. I didn't want to look at him and see what look he was given her. I was afraid it would be more hurt than angry. In fact, from the way his hand found mine and squeezed it, I was sure that's what it would be.

" And you don't trust Chuck ?"

She started to say something, then thought better of it and closed her mouth.

I felt the limo ease to a stop.  
When the driver opened the door to allow my mother, Dorota and I to exit, I kept hold of Chuck's hand and began to pull him along with me, whether my mother liked it or not.

Chuck paused for a moment and looked at Lily. " You don't mind if I stay with Blair, do you ?"

I watched as Lily's eyes watered, but she managed to blink the tears back and give him a warm smile.

" No, I don't mind. Though maybe tomorrow you could spend the night at home ?" She made it a question.

I blinked back a few tears of my own. I was in awe as I watched the looks they were exchanging. Rufus clutched her shoulder, as aware as I was of what we were witnessing. It was the birth of a real, full-fledged relationship between them and it was honestly one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen.

Chuck nodded at her and squeezed my hand again. " I'm sure Blair wants to spend some time with Serena so I think we can do that."

When we'd exited the limo, we all stood there on the sidewalk staring at each other for a long few moments. I could hear my bed calling to me all the way from the penthouse.

Dorota had gone in already, at least she was certain that she was staying.

" So what happens now ?" I asked her, latching my eyes onto hers and refusing to let her look away from me. " Can we all please just go inside and get some sleep ?"

My mother folded her arms over her breast, something I had never been able to do very well, but then I was more endowed in the chest area than she was. She was giving me that look that said she'd made her decision and she about to change it.

I just kept hold of Chuck's hand and continued to stare back. I could be just as stubborn as she was. I'd learned it from her after all.

" Elenore," A voice rang out from behind the doorman and before I could brace myself, I was jerked away from Chuck's hand and bound into the small, compact body of my stepfather. " Why didn't you phone and tell me you were almost home ? I was so worried."  
He was hugged me so tightly I had to fight to draw breath, but I didn't pull away. In fact, I sank myself into him and whispered his favorite saying in his ear, " Not enough." I told him and he held me even tighter.

We finally pulled away and he looked from me to my mother, who still hadn't dropped her arms, to Chuck.

He extended his hand towards Chuck and gave me a wink. " Well, well, well, if it isn't no one." He whispered to me. I beamed a smile at him. To Chuck he said, " I'm glad to see you're alright, Charles. You both had us on pins and needles for a time."

" I'm sorry to have made you worry." Chuck answered as he shook his hand.

" Don't be ridiculous." Cyrus waved off his apology. " Now let's get inside and get you some food."

My mother didn't move.

The limo driver shifted with the door still held wide opened, unsure of what he was supposed to do. I saw Nat squirming in his seat nearest the door.

" Is there something wrong ?" Cyrus asked as he watched the scene in front of him.

I had no idea why it hadn't occurred to me before. Hell, I'd been playing this game since I was old enough to understand the rules. The players may have changed but the game was still the same.

I grabbed hold of Cyrus and clutched his arm as I summoned up a few tears for good measure.

" Mother won't let Chuck stay with me tonight. But, Cyrus, Jack is still out there and I don't think I'll be able to sleep at all without Chuck here with me."

Chuck's eyes narrowed as he watched me over Cyrus' shoulder. He knew I was in manipulation mode. A smile warmed his face for an instant as his eyes twinkled at me, but he hid it quickly and went back to being quietly brooding.

" Elenore," Cyrus started as he detached himself from me. " Blair's been through hell." He took hold of my mother's hand and began to glide her inside. " Now I'll agree it isn't very conventional, but if it's what Blair needs right now, let's just not argue. We need to think about her for now."

He was saying all this as they walked and by the time they got to the door, my mother didn't even cast us a backward glance.

Chuck leaned into the door of the limo and told everyone goodbye. I waved before the shut and a moment later they pulled away.

As soon as they were away from the curb, Chuck had me against him. " You are one of the most manipulative women I've ever known." He announced before kissing me gently.

" That's one of the things you love about me." I answered, with a wave of my hand.

" One of the many things." He said before leading me inside.


	15. Chapter 15

I found Chuck sitting, well actually lounging was more accurate, in the red velvet chaise lounge that took up a corner of my bedroom. He was looking out the window again, his face as blank and emotionless as I'd ever seen it. He gave no hint at all to what was going on inside his head. But something about the set of his shoulders, the slump of his body, said he was thinking peaceful thoughts. I almost didn't want to disturb him.

But he had somehow sensed my return to the room and without turning his eyes from the window, he smiled and said, " Your mother was just here. She was letting me know that the guest room was made up and ready for me."

His wet hair was messy and rumpled and he was wearing a pair of pajamas. Beige, silk and made to fit him. I eyed the clothing and he must have seen me in the reflection of the window because he answered before I could ask where they came from. " Lily sent over a bag with some things in it for me. It came while you were in the shower."

" Are you going to the guest room ?" I asked as I came to him and perched on the edge of the chair.

" Only long enough for everyone to get to sleep. I'll be back." He answered, drawing my back into his chest and wrapping his arms around my stomach as he pulled me further onto the chair.

" You don't have to indulge her." I told him, not wanting him to leave for even a moment.

" Yes, I do."

I turned slightly so I could see his face. " Why ?"

" Because it's become important for me to get her to like me. I know I'm fighting an uphill battle after Nataniel, but the ends justifies the means." He explained as his fingers glided through my wet hair.

" What ends ? Why do you think you need to get her to like you ? I don't care what she thinks."

" And I love you for that, too." He laid a kiss to my forehead. " But I plan on being around for a really long time and it would be easier on both of us if I can manage to win her over."

I snuggled into his back. " I love you."

" I know." He answered shifting a little and turning me so he could kiss me.

When he pulled away, he eased me away from him and stood, glancing at the door when someone knocked on it.

I got up as well and opened the door, allowing Dorota inside.

" Mr. Chuck, I thought you'd already gone to bed." She turned back towards the door. " I didn't mean to intrude."

" It's okay. I was just leaving." He told her as he went to the door instead. " Both of you lovely ladies have a good night." He dipped his head slightly, then turned his smile on me completely. " I'm right across the hall if you need me."

I nodded and watched as he opened the door.

" Mr. Chuck." Dorota stopped him before he opened it.

He turned back to her. " Thank you."

" For what ?" He asked, curiosity all over his face.

" For keeping Miss Blair safe and getting her back to us." She answered shyly.

He smiled again, his attention completely on me. " It was my pleasure."

" I gave Miss Elenore a nightcap a few minutes ago." She told him conspiratorially. " She never lasts long after her nightcap. She'll be asleep in fifteen minutes."

Chuck nodded and left the room.

Dorota looked at me for a few minutes, watching me like she wanted to ask me something, something she wasn't sure I would want to answer.

Then, in a flash, she had her arms around me and I was buried in her shoulder. " I'm so glad you're home." She whispered as she hugged me tighter.

I hugged her back and completely agreed with the sentiment.

* * *

As I snuggled down into my blankets and reveled in the comfortable softness that I had missed so very much over the last two weeks, I determined that I would not fall asleep. I planned on waiting for Chuck. I just knew I'd never be able to sleep without his arms wrapped around me. I knew I wouldn't be able to find peaceful dreams until his chest was securely resting along my back.

I was right. I had barely fallen asleep when dark, dreadful images assaulted my sleeping state. I was running for my life, running through a forest so thick with underbrush and trees, daylight had no hope of finding the leave-covered flooring. My chest hurt, burning as I attempted to pull in air. Then I stumbled over something at my feet. I tumbled all the way down, falling heavily on my hands and knees.

Pushing my hair out of my face, I looked up to see what it was I had tripped over. It was too big to be a tree root, too wide and long to be a stick. My eyes darted over the form that rested not two inches from my face. Unseeing, dark eyes stared at nothing. Grayish, almost fragile looking skin pulled tightly around his mouth and I felt a sticky, wetness under my hands.

Scrambling backwards so fast I bumped into a gnarled, rotting tree truck, I looked down at my hands to find them covered in a thick, almost black, metallic smelling goo.

My throat closed and I couldn't managed to pull in any air at all. But somehow I found enough to scream. I screamed from the bottom of my lungs as I sat on the forest floor, staring from Chuck's blood on my hands to his lifeless body right in front of me.

His voice penetrated the darkness of my dream and called me from its depths. I felt like I was swimming through thick water as I struggled to the surface of my unconsciousness. My dream tried to hold me, grabbing at my mind as if it had hands around my ankles.  
Then at last, I felt Chuck's arms around me. I felt his warmth enveloping me and I clutched at him, snatching at any part of him that would anchor me to reality.

I came awake still screaming and clutching at his chest. The beige silk of his pajama shirt wouldn't allow me to get a good enough hold so I snatched it away so I could reach the skin underneath.

His arms were holding me tightly, smoothing my hair back and whispering soothingly in my ear.

I don't remember ever being as frightened as I was in that moment. My heart was hammering in my chest, my forehead covered in sweat and my throat was raw from yelling out so loudly.

I felt Chuck tense and look over his shoulder and couldn't understand why at first. Then I realized there was a commotion at the door. Several voices and much pounding made it impossible to ignore.

When he tried to pull away to assure everyone that all was okay, I wouldn't let him leave me.

Finally he took hold of hands and pried them from his shoulders, resting them lightly on my chest.

" I'm just going to the door." He said quietly. " Just a few steps away. It's okay."

I could barely understand what he was trying to tell me, his words were coming from somewhere so far away and distant they made no sense. He leaned forward and gently kissed my forehead. And the movement was just what I needed to allow me to break through the fog of my fear and comprehend what he was telling me.

It felt like an eternity that he was gone. I heard my stepfather's voice quietly asking if I was alright. I heard Dorota insisting on seeing me for herself and I heard the door open far enough to allow her inside.

She came to the side of the bed and rested her hand against my forehead. I couldn't manage to pull my eyes to her. I was glued to Chuck. I felt as if, if I couldn't see him, he might not really be there. He might be gone in the instant I took my gaze from his solid, strong back.

He was still talking to Cyrus in hushed voices that I couldn't hear enough to understand. I thought I heard one of them say something about a doctor.

It must have been Cyrus, because Chuck waved him off in the next moment and said I would be fine. He told him that he had me. He would take care of me. And suddenly I felt safe and warm all over.

I watched Cyrus moved out of the doorway and a moment later Dorota passed between Chuck and I, temporarily blocking my view and making feel as if I wanted to scream again. But before I could, he was back, assuring her that I was fine and shutting the door behind her.

I heard the soft sound of the lock clicking back into place and then finally he was back against me.

His strong, protective arms dragged me into his chest and held me so tightly I could hardly breath.

" Are you okay ?" He asked, his voice low and smooth and so gentle.

I nodded into his shoulder.

" I'm so sorry, Blair. I'm sorry I got you involved in all this." He was saying.

I jerked back from him and put a finger to his lips. " Stop it." I said with far more intensity than I thought I'd be able to muster.

His eyebrows quirked upwards in a questioning look and I repeated the statement. " Stop it. You aren't to blame for any of this. Stop apologizing. Stop blaming yourself. Just stop it."

He looked down into my face for a long while, just silently watching me as he thought about what I'd said. Or least that's what I thought he was thinking about. " Do you want to talk about whatever you were screaming about ?" He asked finally.

I shook my head adamantly. I did not want to tell him that it was his corpse and his blood that caused me to scream like I had. He didn't need to know the details, just having him with me was enough to keep any more nightmares at bay. At least, I hoped it would.

" Do you want to talk about something else, something to get your mind off the nightmare ?" He tried again, clearly searching for something, anything that would make me feel better.

I shook my head again and let my eyes drop from his face to his throat where I lost myself in the sight of his Adam's Apple bobbing as he swallowed.

I moved my hands from where they rested on his back, around to his chest and began to fidget with the buttons on his shirt. He was still watching me carefully, his eyes dark and narrowed following the movement of my fingers.

" I love you." I whispered as I looked up at him and caught his lips with mine. " Thank you for staying here with me tonight."

He chuckled deep in his chest, a low rumble of pure sex falling from his lips. " You're thanking me. That's ridiculous. Of course I was going to stay with you. I can't imagine spending the night without you anymore."

" Sooner or later, we will have to sleep in our own homes. Our parents will insist." I laughed back at him.

" They may think that is what's happening, but they don't necessarily have to know every detail of our lives. I figure we can just take turns during the week. And on weekends they will just have to learn to accept that I'm here or you're with me." He explained.

" You mean we spend the entire week sneaking into each other's apartments and on weekends we stick our tongues out at my mother and ignore her whether she's pissed off or not ?" I clarified.

" Well, maybe not ignore. But like I said," his mouth had dropped to my jaw were he was laying soft, sweet kissing along my skin. " She doesn't have to know every detail of our lives. We'll figure it out. Besides," He paused to nip at me and I threw my head back and groaned. "sneaking around could be fun. I think we may even be able to get Dorota to help us. Apparently she's suddenly fond of me."

My fingers were nearly done unbuttoning his shirt and I hadn't even registered that I was doing it.

I slid the shirt from his shoulders and tossed it to the floor behind us. " Well, you do have a certain charm. Cyrus seemed to approve of you, too."

He was sucking on the spot between my breast, right over my collarbone, then he looked up at me with a twinkle in his eyes. " Your stepfather likes me ? I must be slipping."

" I thought you wanted them to like you." I reminded him.

" Yeah, but I figured I'd have to work harder than that. I mean, really, the man barely knows me by more than reputation." He shrugged before finding my breast through my thin nightgown and drawing my nipple into his mouth through the material.

" Chuck Bass, in love, part of a family and liked by parents. How will you ever learn to live with that." I sighed wistfully.

He dropped my breast and sat back, looking down at me intensely. " It's all your fault, you know."

" What's all my fault ?" I blinked at him, not liking the look on his face. It was dark and powerful and piercing. His heavily lidded eyes drank me in like they were seeing straight into my soul. It made me swallow and fight to keep from squirming.

" Everything. It's all because of you. I didn't even know how much I hated myself before you showed me who I could be instead. Made me see how much happier I could be."

I reached up and stroked his cheek, the backs of my fingers running over the light stubble there. He turned his head and kissed my fingertips. Then he looked back at me. " I love you."

I leaned up, laced my hands around his neck and pulled him back down to the bed with me. " Quit telling me and show me." I whispered into his ear.


	16. Chapter 16

The crowd of people surrounding me made me feel as if I were suffocating. I had a moment of panic, wondering if I'd ever really get back to being myself again. This was a party in my honor, mine and Chuck's. A party welcoming us home and celebrating our survival. I should be happy. This was my scene. Every eye was on me. All attention turned in my direction. All good wishes and concerns focused on me.

How could a girl not want that ?

I heaved a deep breath and felt the boning in my bodice digging into my ribs sharply. The champagne colored material stretched over my breasts and pushed them up and forward to the point that it looked as if they might pop out at any moment. The beading of the bodice was rough against the inside of my arm when I raised my glass to take a sip from my drink.

I had never felt uncomfortable dressing up before. But now I was feeling decidedly stifled by my finery in a way that was a disconcerting surprise.

" You look like you want out of that dress as badly as I want you out of it." Chuck breathed into my carefully coiffed up-do. I was amazed at his seeming ability to read my mind.

He stood right at my elbow, having not left my side for even an instant all night, in his vintage Valentino with its black velvet lapel and cuffs and red bow tie and vest. He was absolutely comfortable, perfectly at ease and looking more handsome than I had seen him in a really long time.

" We're the honorees of the party. Don't you think someone will miss us if we try to sneak off ?" I asked, as adapt at reading his mind as he was mine.

His fingers brushed a few tendrils over my shoulder, twining in the strands and playing with them offhandedly. " I think we could manage a few minutes alone without Elenore and Lily calling out the hounds to find us."

I heard a noise on the other side of me and I drew my eyes away from his smoldering ones to cast a glance in that direction.

" Nate, Vanessa," I nodded at the new arrivals.

Vanessa leaned in for an awkward hug and I let her grudgingly. Vanessa was not one of my favorite people. In my opinion, she was not much more than a sewer rat from Brooklyn working her way into our society on the arm of an Archibald. But apparently no one was listening to my opinion as far as our friends were concerned so I tolerated her with clenched teeth and tried not to let her rub off on me.

Her opinion of me wasn't much higher. I could read it in her superior gaze every time we met.

" I'm glad to see you both home safe." She muttered as she moved on to give Chuck the same sort of hug. I watched with an interest inspired by an unreasonable jealousy. But she remained friendly in her body movement and kept her breasts, which were practically jumping out of her dress, to herself.

In the next instant I was surrounded by the familiar comfort of Nate. My first love was embracing me so tightly I had to resist the urge to squirm. But it ended as quickly as it started and he stepped back and clasped Chuck on the shoulder.

They stood looking at each other for a few minutes and I wondered what was passing between them. Best friends since grade school, I could tell there were some serious emotions laying under all the male bravado. Then without warning, Nate grabbed Chuck and hugged him as well.  
So much had come between the two over the years, including me at one point, but as Chuck hugged him back just as enthusiastically I knew that everything else was old news. They were simply glad to be each others friends. It was a touching moment and I felt my eyes sting at the corners briefly.

When Nate let Chuck go, he shook his head as he took us both in. " I don't know what I would have done without you both." He told us.

Chuck found my hand and squeezed it. I smiled at Nate, unsure of what to say to his emotional outburst. Nate had been at the hospital when Chuck and I were released, but we had had precious little time since then to really talk to each other.

" Tomorrow night we are all getting together and doing something. The three of us." He informed us.

Chuck and I both answered in agreement as Vanessa began to pull him away.

" What's gotten into him ?" Chuck whispered beside me as we scanned the crowd together.

" He misses you." I cooed in his ear. " I think it's sweet and whether you admit it or not, Bass, you miss him, too."

He shifted uncomfortably and squeezed my hand again. " Okay, maybe it'll be nice to spend some time with him."

" You need guy time." I told him. " And it was never more apparent than this afternoon when I found you playing video games with Eric."

His hand left mine and wormed its way around my waist. " I like Eric. In fact, I find that I like the whole lot of them. It's nice having a little brother."

" Again with the whole family man thing going on. You're going to make me think you were serious about us getting married, too." I teased.

His eyes darkened and he turned me towards him abruptly, pulling my body into his chest. " I have never been more serious about anything. One day, you will be Mrs. Chuck Bass. Count on it."

" Oh my God ! " My best friend's voice exclaimed behind me. " Did he just propose in his own weird 'Chuck' way ?"

We pulled apart, and Dan was beside Serena extending his hand. " Congratulations on your threat of marriage, Man. I hope that works out for you." In another lifetime, Chuck would have decked him. They had come to blows before. But Dan was smiling his strained, pained smile and Chuck smiled back and took his hand.

" Humphrey, I hear you and Jenny are moving on up soon. Please tell me we won't have to share a room." Chuck teased back.

" Oh, no, I'd rather sleep in the subway station than share a room with you, Chuck. I think Lily and Rufus are planning on waiting until we all leave for college before combining the households."

Again in another lifetime, Chuck would have made a comment about being disappointed to miss out on living with Dan's little sister, Jenny. He would have turned the tentative seize fire between them into an all out war, just to get a reaction.

But new Chuck, just smiled casually and turned his attention to Serena, who was still going on about the proposal.

" We aren't getting married tomorrow, for God's sake, Serena." I was telling her.

Chuck pulled my back into his chest and wrapped his arms around my waist in a possessive gestured that turned my insides to goo. " But we will, someday." He added.

" That's great, really. I'm happy for you both." Serena smiled with wide-eyed enthusiasm.

" I wonder if we might enlist the two of you to help us. " Chuck said over my shoulder as his arms tightened their hold.

" What do you need ?" Dan asked, stepping a touch closer.

" Blair is having a little trouble with her dress." He paused and quirked his eyebrow. " A wardrobe malfunction, if you will." Dan chuckled and Serena began scanning my outfit to find the flaw. " We need a few moments to run upstairs and see to it. Do you think that maybe you could hold everyone off."

" I don't see anything wrong with the dress." Serena announced.

Dan cleared his throat and took her hand, giving her his best patronizing look. " The only thing wrong with her dress is that she's wearing it." He informed her. Then he nodded to Chuck. " Go, do what you need to do. We'll take care of everyone down here."

Chuck had me at the elevator before Dan could change his mind.

" We shouldn't be doing this." I breathed as the doors closed and he attacked my neck with his lips.

I clutched at his shoulders, holding him tightly as he played with the zipped at the back of my dress.

" That just makes it so much better." He panted quietly in my ear in response.

" We're going to get caught." I warned as he gathered my skirt up and lifted it upwards. He stopped breathing for a moment when he felt the top of my garters. White garters edged with lace that I'd worn just for him.

" We need to get upstairs." He said before kissing me so deeply I lost my own breath.

His hands were by no means idle on the long ride to the penthouse. By the time the doors opened I felt as if he had already touched every inch of my skin. And everywhere his hands brushed burned as if he were imprinting his brand on me.

I choked back a sob as he found my ear and began to suck on it feverishly.

Then another when he grabbed me into his arms and lifted me, carrying me to his bedroom and opening the door with the toe of his shoe.

He deposited me into the middle of the bed and leaned over me with a hand on either side of my head.

" How is it that we've made love every night for the past month, at least once and I still feel like I can't get enough of you ?" He asked, dipping his head to slide his tongue along the edge of my bodice.

" Me either." I moaned, sliding his jacket off.

" Isn't this just touching ?" A brand new voice said from behind the door and we both froze instantly.

Chuck made a move to turned around but before he could complete the action there was a loud whack and he slumped forward over me.


	17. Chapter 17

I started to scream but Chuck was immediately tossed to the floor and a hand was covering my mouth. The entire thing happened so quickly I barely had time to react at all. I tried to grab Chuck's lifeless body but it was gone too fast and in it's place was Jack Bass.

A shiver of fear run up my spine and I was having trouble processing everything that was going on. All I did know was that Jack's hand was covering my mouth while his other one was crushing me into the bed and his whole body was covering me so completely I didn't have a prayer of escape.

That didn't mean I didn't try. I worked my mouth open under his bruising grip and bit his finger until I tasted blood.

He pulled his hand back only long enough to slap me. Catching me over my right cheekbone, it was hard enough to make it feel as if my eye were about to pop out of its socket.

" What do you want ?" I demanded as I blinked back tears.

He grabbed me tighter and yanked me off the bed and into his chest. " Oh, I have what I want." He glanced down at Chuck. " I'm betting that having you will get me whatever I want from the lovesick little bastard now."

" The police are looking for you. It's not like you can take over his company now." I tried to reason with him as he began to drag me towards the door.

His hand tightened on my arm, digging into my bicep and leaving bruises. " No, you managed to mess all that up for me." He ground out between clenched teeth. " But he still has money, lots of it and I'll need it to get away. So, that makes you still useful."

I grabbed anything I could snatch as he lifted my feet from the ground and tried to carry me out of the room. I was praying Chuck would wake up. I was pulling lamps over as we passed, digging my fingernails into the door frame, snatching at curtains, anything to make this harder on Jack, buy me more time. He still had one of his hands close enough to my mouth to cover it quickly if I decided to start screaming again. I realized that meant he was carrying me around with his other arm, one handed. The thought of how strong that meant he was caused a wave of panic to rise up in my throat. If he could carry me in one arm, he could surely crush me with it as well, or strangle me, or just plain break me in two, like a twig.

It was at that moment of sheer terror that I saw movement on the floor. I yelled out, wanting to hurry along the process of Chuck coming to. It worked and he jerked his head up and searched the room until he found us standing by the door.

" Put her down, Jack." He bellowed as he came to his feet slowly.

" No," Jack shook his head, his face was smiling as if he were enjoying playing with us. " I think I'll keep her for a while." Then his hand came up away from my throat and cupped my breast roughly. I cried out in both shock and pain. " She looks really tasty."

Chuck stepped forward, but Jack backed up with me just as swiftly.

" Are we going to dance all night ?" Chuck asked, his voice sounded suddenly so calm, so control. There wasn't a hint of panic in him, not a flicker of fear on his face.

I gulped at the implications.

" I think we can work something out here, Jack. I just need you to put her down and we can talk this out." Chuck reasoned with him.

Jack jerked me into him and his hand came back up to my throat, his long fingers wrapping around it threateningly. " I don't think I like your tone, Young Man." Jack spat as he tightened his grip and I gasped at the sudden pain and lack of breath. " I don't believe you are properly afraid of me."

Chuck held out his hands. " Oh, no that's not true. I'm plenty scared of you. But if you hurt her, I promise you that you will not get whatever it is that you want. And I also promise that you are not leaving this room with her."

I was squirming now, doing my best to try to keep up with the conversation but tiny black spots were filling my vision and I couldn't make my mind focus on anything besides the fact that I couldn't breathe.

" JACK !" I heard Chuck scream.

It felt as if time were slipping away from me. Things were happening without me. There was more yelling. Then I heard my name being shouted and Chuck yelling that he was sorry.

Then everything went completely black and nothing existed at all.

The first thing I did when I woke up was search the place beside me for the warm body that I was so accustomed to having there. When I didn't find it, I began to panic. Then I realized that I wasn't laying on a bed or even a couch. This felt much more like a floor.

I shifted, trying to assess the reasons for my respite in the middle of the rug in my room. That much I was sure of. I recognized the rug the moment I opened my eyes. But there was something strange about it, something spilled on it.

_Dorota is going to have a fit_, I thought as I tried to sit up.

There was a hand on my shoulder and suddenly voices were filling up my head. There was movement everywhere. But the thing I focused on was the familiarity of the hand on my shoulder. I sought out that voice above of all the others and when I found it, I narrowed in on it, turning stiffly until I could see his beautiful dark eyes staring down at me with such concern and worry.

"Are you alright ?" He was asking as he dragged me into his chest.

I nodded, not sure why talking seemed to be such an effort but it was so I nodded and buried my head in Chuck's warm shoulder.

" I'm so sorry, Blair. I had to do it." He was whispering.

I leaned back and regarded him with a quirked eyebrow, telling him that I had no idea what he was talking about.

Chuck didn't answer, instead he grabbed me up in his arms and lifted me off the floor. Before I had a chance to ask what was going on, he had me out the door.

I realized there was something hot and wet and very sticky running down my leg, down the side of my face, causing my hair to stick together in clumps.

What the hell was going on ? I managed a sort of half-assed attempt at conveying that sentiment to Chuck when he finally sat me down on one of the barstools in the kitchen.

His face was ashen and deeply lined. His eyes hooded and darker than I'd ever seen them. He looked as if he had been suffering from a long, drawn out illness that had taken its toil on him. So tired, so pale, so shaky.

I was instantly scared. Terrified over whatever had put that look on his face.

" I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do. I thought he was going to kill you right there in front of me. I had to do it." He was repeating the same words over again that he'd first said to me.

The memory of Jack and everything that happened in the last hour suddenly hit me full force and my eyes darted around, searching out my assailant.

Chuck stilled me, pulling me into him in a tight embrace. " I shot him."

His voice was so low and quiet, so weak and unstable.

I blinked up at him questioningly. But he must have read my expression wrong because his face was all at once shame filled and remorseful. " I didn't want to shot him while he was holding you, but he wouldn't let you go. I wanted him to get away from you. I didn't want you to see any of that."

I put my fingers to his lips to quiet him and he stopped talking and looked at me.

" It's okay." I choked in a pain-filled hoarse voice. " You saved me."

I looked around the shambles of my penthouse apartment, hours later, in dismay and utter disgust. There was still blood everywhere, covering my room in a deep crimson coating that soaked into the carpet, destroyed my rug and looked as if someone had dropped a bucket of it all over my walls. The police had confiscated my dress, much to my mother's chagrin. Dorota, Serena and Vanessa had helped me remove the last traces of it from my body. Yet somehow, I still felt as if I were covered in it. Like it had somehow left a lasting imprint on my skin that would never truly go away.

That had been what Chuck was trying to avoid. That was why he had hesitated so long before taking the tiny, palm sized gun from some hidden place in his tuxedo and pulling the trigger.

He knew what would happen if he shot Jack so close to me. He knew it was a horror I would have to live with for the rest of my life. And he did everything he could to keep me away from it.

But in the end, he hadn't had a choice. The thing that struck me deepest about the whole thing was that he didn't seem to feel any remorse at all over ending a life. He was just sorry that I had, once again, been caught up in what he considered his drama.

It was typical Chuck reasoning. He had been alone in the world so long, he couldn't fathom the fact that his problems, his dramas were no longer just his own. I made a promise to myself to make a concentrated effort to adjust that way of thinking.

I'd managed to make the paramedics and police officers that were insisting I go to the hospital understand that I was fine. But looking in the fog covered mirror right after my shower, I wondered if I'd done the right thing. Deep, red and purple fingerprints decorated the normally pale, unmarred column of my neck. My throat was raw and so sore I could barely swallow and my voice, when I used it was hoarse and hardly more than a whisper.

But the last thing I wanted was to spend any more time in a hospital. All I could think of, at the moment, was how badly I wanted Chuck, how much I need to reassurance of his arms around me.

As if sensing my need, Serena nodded her head towards the doorway and I saw a flicker of movement as Dan, who had been lounging there, disappeared down the hall.

" Dan's gone to get him." She told me as she grabbed a comb and began to work it through the tangles of my hair.

" Do you need anything else ?" Vanessa asked from my other side.

I shook my head. All I needed was Chuck. I felt shell-shocked, numb. The world seemed to move around me at a speed I was unable to keep up with. So I stopped trying and instead just sat back and watched the things going on around me.

Serena continued to work on my hair. Vanessa was busying herself with picking up the bathroom. Dorota was hovering, never moving more than an inch or two from me. The look on her face said she may have failed twice in keeping me safe, but there would not be a third time.

Dan appeared in the doorway of the bathroom with a carefully guarded look on his face. " He's on his way back now. Cyrus is bringing him."

His voice was cryptic as if I were only hearing part of a conversation.

I glanced around at Serena and gave her a look demanding to know the entire story of what was going on.

I realized I hadn't seen Chuck in a few hours now and the last time I had it was in the company of two detectives.

" He's fine." She assured me.

" Where ?" I choked out.

She sighed defeatedly and put down the comb in order to take my hands. " Cyrus, Rufus and Nate have been with him the whole time. I think Eric even went along, too."

" Where ?" I repeated.

" He had to go down to the police station and give his statement and do a few other things." She answered finally.

" The police station ? Was he arrested ?" I asked, suddenly feeling more animated and in tune with the world around me.

She shook her head emphatically. " He's fine really. It was clearly self-defense. The police were just being thorough."

" What do you mean thorough ? What did they do to him ?" I demanded becoming more and more agitated by the minute.

" Well, they took his statement and did a gunpowder residue test on his hand and they -"

I cut her off as I jumped out of the chair. " Did they arrest him ? Has he been arrested for murder ?"

All eyes in the room fell to me and a quiet settled over the entire area. Finally, she took my hand and nodded solemnly.

" It's a high profile case. The police are just covering their bases." She tried to explain.

I stomped over to Dan and put my hands on my hips. " But you said he was on his way ?"

" Cyrus got him released into his custody. The bail was huge but Lily posted it. "

" How did I not know all this was going on ?" I asked the room in general.

" You were kind of out of it for a little while. The paramedics said they thought you were in shock But you refused to let them take you to the hospital."

I glimpse movement down the hall and a strange man was walking into my bedroom. " What the hell is going on around here ?" I asked for what I felt like was the hundredth time. The I glanced down and yanked the edges of my royal blue satin robe tighter around me suddenly feeling very naked. " And can someone please get me some clothes ?"

" We can't get into your bedroom." Vanessa answered when it appeared no one else was going to. " It's a crime scene. Those are CSI investigators. But Serena has something for you to wear in your mother's room." She took my shoulder and gently began easing me down the hall. " You go get changed and we can take you to Serena's. That's where you'll be staying for a little while."

My mother's room looked as if it were plucked from the disaster of the rest of the apartment and spared from it all. Nothing was out of place in the large, tastefully decorated room. I realized as I stood staring around me that Dorota had silently followed us into the room and stayed after Vanessa left.

I turned to look at her.

She offered me a tiny smile and it looked as if there might be tears brimming the edges of her eyes.

" I'm so sorry, Miss Blair." she told me. " I wasn't here to keep you safe again."

I shook my head and moved to hug her. " You have nothing to be sorry about."

" I couldn't stop the police from taking Mr. Chuck either. I tried though." She said into my hair.

A knock at the door pulled me out of her embrace and she turned to open it a crack.

" Is Blair okay ?" I heard Cyrus ask.

Dorota told him I was fine. They continued talking for a moment in hushed tones as I went to get dressed.

I was just adjusting the dress Serena had picked out for me and pulling my hair from the collar when the door burst opened and Dorota stepped aside.

A moment later I was surrounded by warmth and comfort and love as Chuck grabbed me to him.

His hand was buried in my still wet hair as his lips found mine. I sank into him, burrowing my body into his and letting his presence fill me up.

" I'm so glad you're okay. I was so worried and the imbecile police wouldn't move any faster so I could get back here to you. I thought for a minute they were going to keep me there until morning." He said all this as he rained kisses all over my face, quick, flickers of his lips darting against my skin.

" I'm fine." I told him. " Are you okay ? Serena said they arrested you."

" It's nothing." He shrugged off my worry. " Just a technicality. They said everything would be fine when the crime scene reports and autopsy come in and back up my story. And they need a statement from you."

" But the gun, where did you get a gun ?" I asked, trying to keep talking to him even though he was holding me almost too tightly to breath.

" It was my father's. I inherited it. I started carrying it the day after we got home. The thought that Jack was still out there, that he could get to you... I had to do something." He said, easing away slightly and looking down at me.

I rested my forehead against his chest and just drank in the feel of him for a few minutes. Then finally I looked up into his worried face and gave him a smile. " Can we just go somewhere with a bed ? I'm so tired."

" Absolutely." He agreed and took my hand to lead me away.

THE END


End file.
